Reigning US Open champion Coco Gauff has been named to TIME magazine's 2024 Women of the Year list, an annual compilation that honors "extraordinary leaders working towards a more equal world."
The magazine calls its 2024 selections, 12 in total, "pivotal figures from across the globe who have dedicated themselves to lifting up others as they rise." The youngest, and only athlete, on this year's list, Gauff joins Academy Award-nominated director Greta Gerwig; Grammy nominee Andra Day; climate activist Jacqui Patterson; and economist Claudia Goldin, a Nobel Laureate, among the selections.
"Creating a better future for women means building bridges—across generations, communities, and borders," the magazine writes. "These extraordinary leaders are working toward a more equal world."
In particular, TIME highlights Gauff's social activism, which began in earnest in 2020 when she gave a heartfelt speech in her hometown of Delray Beach, Fla. protesting police brutality. The piece points out how her standing as a world-class athlete has also helped her grow comfortable under the spotlight that comes with speaking out.
"Having an activist in the family—Gauff’s grandmother was the first Black student at her Delray Beach, Fla., high school in 1961—has shaped her perspective," Sean Gregory writes. "In the days following the murder of George Floyd in 2020, Gauff posted about the injustice on social media and spoke at a protest."
TIME began the Women of the Year program in 2022 in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, with the magazine seeking to highlight game-changing women after the pandemic brought to light how flawed systems have. Previous athletes to be honored by TIME as Women of the Year are Allyson Felix, Megan Rapinoe and Ramla Ali.
After beating Karolina Pliskova in the third round of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships, Gauff said she was "super grateful" to be included on the list, and hopes to hear the stories of her fellow honorees firsthand when she attends the celebratory gala in Los Angeles prior to the BNP Paribas Open next month.
"I would say the biggest thing is that you're more than whatever social construct puts you in," Gauff said. "For me, I like to say I'm more than a tennis player. Especially in this day and age, I will say growing up in tennis, coming from the lineage like Billie Jean King, Venus Williams, Althea Gibson, I feel like this sport is very popular in advocating for equality and justice. I feel comfortable doing that."
