Getting my high school diploma meant a lot to me: Coco Gauff ranks graduation above French Open QF victory

American teenager Coco Gauff stormed into her first major semi-final at the French Open, but she ranks getting a high school diploma above her quarter-final victory.

Gauff, who got the better of her compatriot Sloane Stephens 7-5, 6-2 in the last eight on May 31, graduated from high school last month while preparing for the clay major tournament.

“Was graduating tougher? Yes, because I know how hard it was to do school and play tennis on the road,” Gauff was quoted as saying after the match in an on-court interview.

“Other players in general get out of sight with life and we think tennis is the most important thing in the world. It is not. So getting my high school diploma meant a lot to me.”

Gauff had previously reached the quarter-final in Paris last year but lost to eventual champion Barbora Krejcikova.

However, in the ongoing edition, she crossed the quarter-final hurdle to set up a semi-final clash against Martina Trevisan of Italy.

Gauff also sent out a message to other young players, “Your results or your job or how much money you make doesn’t define you as a person. As long as you love yourself, it doesn’t matter what anyone else thinks.”