Florida woman creates history at US Open due to the DeSantis Effect.

Governor’s policies ‌helped black teen achieve​ lifelong dream

What happened: Coco​ Gauff, a 19-year-old ​tennis prodigy of color, made history over the weekend by becoming the youngest player to win​ the U.S. Open singles title since Serena​ Williams in 1999.

Why it matters: For most of ‌her life Gauff ​has‍ resided—and trained—in the great state of Florida. She has personally benefited from the⁣ bold ⁢leadership ⁢of Gov. Ron DeSantis ⁣(R., Fla.), who took office in 2019 just as ‍Gauff was beginning her professional⁣ tennis career.

• Gauff is a native of Delray‌ Beach, aka “Tennis Beach,” a close-knit oceanfront‍ community ​located about 50 miles north of Miami and less than 20 miles south of Mar-a-Lago. Her father, Corey Gauff, runs a sports bar in Delray Beach that serves as a gathering spot for fans to watch Coco play ⁣in tournaments.

The black teen ⁤implicitly praised DeSantis for the‍ role he ⁤played in her historic victory. “South Florida has‍ helped ‌me a lot​ to prepare​ for these moments,” Gauff said after defeating Belarusian rival Aryna‍ Sabalenka in ​the U.S. Open⁢ final on Saturday.

• DeSantis won Palm Beach County, ⁤a longtime Democratic stronghold that includes Delray Beach, by nearly 3 percentage points in​ 2022. ⁣The result was a shocking indicator of the governor’s popularity. Just⁤ four years earlier, DeSantis lost Palm Beach County by ​more​ than 17 percentage ‌points.

The DeSantis effect: Exactly how ⁣much credit does Ron DeSantis deserve for helping Gauff become a⁢ U.S. Open champion? At least⁣ half, obviously,⁣ but‍ beyond ⁢that it’s difficult to say.

• There’s no ⁣doubt that⁤ DeSantis’s pro-freedom policies are engineered ⁣to maximize⁤ the ability of young black women to achieve their ⁤dreams and succeed on the world ⁣stage.

The⁢ GOP governor’s efforts to keep Florida open during the COVID-19 pandemic certainly played a ⁢role in helping Gauff maintain her intensive training regime and develop⁤ the skills that would⁢ ultimately propel her to victory at the U.S. ‌Open.

Bottom line:​ Leadership matters.