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Angel Reese Gives Nickname to Coco Gauff After Chicago Sky's Blowout Loss

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Madz Dizon | Last updated Jun 11, 2025 2:39 AM ET

The Chicago Sky may have taken a hard hit on the scoreboard Tuesday night, but forward Angel Reese still found a way to shine.

After the Sky’s 85-66 loss to the undefeated New York Liberty, Reese shared a heartfelt moment with tennis star Coco Gauff.

Gauff, fresh off winning her second Grand Slam title at the French Open, was sitting courtside at the Barclays Center. She was seen enjoying the game with Vanessa Bryant and her daughters, making it a special night for sports fans.

During a timeout, cameras zoomed in on Gauff and the crowd erupted with cheers. She was also greeted by Ellie the Elephant, the Liberty’s mascot, and visited the Liberty locker room after the game.

But the real crossover moment happened after the final buzzer. Reese posted a video on Instagram Story showing her meeting with Gauff.

A queen recognizes a queen pic.twitter.com/oylIbGFPPN
— mydzn (@MadelaineDizon) June 11, 2025

“The QUEEN,” Reese added a caption, tagging Gauff directly.

Despite the tough loss, Reese appeared unfazed. In fact, she seemed more excited to meet Gauff than discouraged by the outcome of the game. Her warm gesture came shortly after the tennis champion was honored with loud cheers by Liberty fans.

Meanwhile, Reese recorded her 30th career double-double with 17 points and 11 rebounds, making her the fastest player in WNBA history to reach that mark.

On the other hand, Gauff had earned her spotlight just days earlier by beating world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka at Roland-Garros. At only 21 years old, she became the youngest American woman since Serena Williams in 2002 to win the French Open.

It was her second Grand Slam title after winning the 2023 US Open. Following the match, fans gave her a new nickname: “Queen of Clay.” Now, Reese has added her own spin to that crown.

The Chicago Sky will try to bounce back on Friday when they face the Atlanta Dream. But even in defeat, Angel Reese made headlines not just for her stats, but for her shoutout to a fellow queen in sports.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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