Cori ‘Coco’ Gauff says ultimate goal is to be the ‘greatest’ ever following Wimbledon run

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Cori "Coco" Gauff magical Wimbledon run is just the start for the 15-year-old.

"I have my ultimate goal, which is to be the greatest," Gauff said in an appearance on NBC's TODAY show. "A lot of people kind of try to say, 'oh, that won't happen.' But I really do believe that you should really dream high and dream to the highest possibility because anything (is) possible.”

Gauff became the crowd favorite of this year's Wimbledon. The 15-year-old sensation won three matches at the All England Club — and captured the nation's attention in doing so — before bowing out to No. 7-seeded Simona Halep in straight sets in the round of 16 on Monday. 

[email protected] reveals to @savannahguthrie that her “ultimate goal” is to be “the greatest.” pic.twitter.com/mkmSVFnL9s

She first upset Venus Williams in straight sets in the first round and then also took down Magdalena Rybarikova, a 2017 Wimbledon semifinalist, in the second round in straight sets. Her comeback performance in last week's third-round match drew the most attention: She stormed back to defeat Polona Hercog after losing the first set and trailing 5-2 in the second. 

Gauff became the youngest tennis player to win a match at Wimbledon since Jennifer Capriati in 1991. She was the youngest in the Open era to qualify for the prestigious tournament, earning her ticket by knocking out No. 1 seed Aliona Bolsova in qualifying rounds. Gauff previously won the junior French Open title at 14.

Gauff said she's been taken aback by her new celebrity status that's included photos and autographs, as well as congratulations from former First Lady Michelle Obama. Of knocking off 39-year-old Williams, one of her idols alongside sister Serena, Gauff said: "I kind of planned out what I was going to say (to her) but I didn't think I would be on the winning end, to be honest.”

Gauff's "greatest" comments echo what she said publicly last year:  "I want to be better than Serena, and I want to have that Grand Slam record one day."

United States' Cori "Coco" Gauff points her finger during a women's singles match against Romania's Simona Halep. (Photo: Kirsty Wigglesworth, AP)

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