In the electric atmosphere of Arthur Ashe Stadium during the 2023 US Open, a teenage tennis sensation found an unexpected source of motivation amid a tough third-round match. Coco Gauff, then just 19 years old, was trailing after losing the first set to Belgium’s Elise Mertens. But a glimpse of pop icon Justin Bieber in the crowd sparked a turnaround that propelled her to victory—and eventually to her first Grand Slam title.
The match on September 1, 2023, started poorly for the American sixth seed. Mertens claimed the opening set 6-3, putting Gauff on the back foot in front of a star-studded crowd that included Bieber, his wife Hailey, and NBA star Jimmy Butler. As Gauff sat during a changeover in the second set, the Jumbotron flashed images of the celebrities, and that’s when the magic happened.
“I definitely saw who was there,” Gauff later told ESPN in her on-court interview. “I thought, ‘I cannot lose in front of Justin Bieber.’ I didn’t lose a game after I saw that.”
True to her words, Gauff dominated from that moment on. She took the second set 6-3 and steamrolled through the third with a bagel, 6-0, winning the match 3-6, 6-3, 6-0 without dropping another game.
In post-match press conferences, Gauff elaborated on her fangirl moment. As a child of the 2010s, she grew up loving Bieber’s music. “‘Never Say Never’ was one of my favorite songs when I was a kid. Then ‘Baby, Oh, Baby.’ I could go through all his songs,” she said with a laugh. Seeing him and Hailey on what appeared to be a date night added to the surreal experience.
The sighting initially made her “a little tight,” but it quickly fueled her resolve. Gauff compared it to her first-round match, where former President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama were in attendance. “I got a little tight when I first saw him, then I remembered President Obama and Michelle Obama were at my first-round match,” she noted.
This celebrity boost came at a pivotal time in Gauff’s tournament run. The 2023 US Open marked her breakthrough, culminating in her defeating Aryna Sabalenka in the final to claim her maiden major title. The Mertens match was one of several comebacks that defined her path, showcasing her mental toughness.
Gauff’s story highlights how even top athletes draw inspiration from unexpected places. A pop star’s presence turned potential pressure into powerhouse performance, reminding fans that behind the fierce competitor is a young woman who still gets starstruck. Her “Never Say Never” mindset—echoing Bieber’s own hit—carried her all the way to the trophy.
