Coco Gauff has hailed Miami Heat star Jimmy Butler as a key inspiration behind her improved mentality.
The tennis star has was eliminated in the first round at Wimbledon despite being a number seven seed for the competition, a significant blow for the 19-year-old sensation.
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However, Gauff has silenced any critics with victory at the Cincinatti Masters and a wonderful start to her US Open campaign.
Beating Laura Siegemund in round one, Gauff then defeat Mirra Andreeva in straight sets to tee up a third round clash with Elise Mertens.
Gauff has another high-profile fan in Mike Tyson with the tennis starlet admitting to training with the boxing legend in the past, but being a resident of South Florida, Gauff has more recently had the opportunity to learn from a friend and sporting great in Butler.
The Miami Heat star is renowned as their best player, leading them to two of the last four NBA Finals, something Gauff says has been a real inspiration.
Speaking to the New York Daily News, she said: “That switch I had in the last couple weeks, people think some incredible thing happened.
“But realistically, the two weeks between Wimbledon and the next tournament I played, nothing could have really changed that much. It was really just the mental thing.
“I think that’s what I learned from watching Jimmy [Butler] compete over the years.”
The Miami Heat star is a huge tennis fan and even won a point against reigning US Open men’s champion Carlos Alcaraz during a charity exhibition.
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Butler has been equally complimentary about Gauff, saying: “She’s so emotional in a good way.
“She’s a champion, and I love that she’s from the city that I work in. I just like to be here to support her.”