Coco Gauff: Tennis prodigy and rising star on the global stage
You’ve likely seen the viral video of 8-year-old Coco Gauff dancing in the stands at the U.S. Open in 2012. It began circulating online after her first Grand Slam win at the same tournament 11 years later and foreshadowed what was in store for the tennis wunderkind.
Coco — with her impenetrable stoicism and poise beyond her years — has raked in a number of titles, records and awards since bursting onto the scene. In her debut season, she became the youngest player ranked in the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) Top 100. A few years later, at the 2023 U.S. Open, Coco Gauff won her first Grand Slam title at only 19, becoming the youngest American player to do so since Serena Williams. Today, she’s a No.3 ranked player hailed as the future of the sport.
But who is Coco Gauff outside the game? Her social advocacy off the court has also defined her rising legacy as she boldly uses her voice for justice and change. From speaking out against racial injustice and cyberbullying to encouraging her peers to vote, Coco has positioned herself as a multifaceted role model for both sports and society.
In this article, we’ll take an in-depth look at the life and career of Coco Gauff — a champion, activist and one of the greatest American women players to grace the court.
Early life and introduction to tennis
Cori Dionne Gauff, or “Coco,” was born on March 13, 2004, in Atlanta, Georgia. Her parents, who are former college athletes, recognized Coco’s athletic prowess early on. It was at nine months, to be exact, when Coco skipped crawling and went straight to walking. Candi, her mother, was a gymnast and standout heptathlete on the track and field team at Florida State University. Her dad, Corey, played Division I basketball at Georgia State University. They were excited to pass on their love of athletics to their firstborn child and to nurture her natural abilities, so they introduced Coco to sports at a young age.
Coco first expressed interest in playing tennis at just 5 years old. She was watching Serena Williams win the Australian Open with her parents when her dad called Serena “the GOAT.” After learning what it stood for, she responded, “I want to be a GOAT,” prompting her father to buy his daughter a pink Wilson racquet. Not surprisingly, Coco often acknowledges Serena and Venus Williams as her “idols” and praises them for their dominance and representation in the sport.
With her first racquet in hand, Coco spent hours practicing her swing by hitting against her garage. But it wasn’t until she won the “Little Mo” national tournament at 8 that she began to build her confidence and take tennis seriously. It was also around the time Candi and Corey quit their jobs and moved back to their hometown, Delray Beach, Florida, to support Coco’s career and gain access to some of the best tennis training camps in the world. Her mother, a former teacher, homeschooled Coco while her father became her full-time coach — studying the careers of tennis greats to coach his daughter effectively.
When she was only 10 years old, Coco received a scholarship to train at the Mouratoglou Academy in France, a program run by Serena Williams’ former coach, Patrick Mouratoglou. From then to her professional debut at 14, Coco Gauff tacked on numerous awards and accolades, including her first junior Grand Slam title at the 2018 French Open and being named the youngest U.S. Open junior girls finalist ever at only 13.
Breakthrough moments in professional tennis
One year into her professional tennis career, Coco Gauff defeated her childhood idol, five-time Wimbledon champion Venus Williams, in the first round of her Grand Slam debut. With this feat, she became the youngest player to reach the fourth round, or main draw, at Wimbledon since 1991. It was also the moment she was catapulted onto the world stage and “Coco Gauff” became a household name.
Her stardom has only continued to rise. Though she’s experienced several career ups and downs, Coco continues to build on her early success to become one of the most memorable tennis players ever.
Grand Slam performances and global ranking ascent
Coco always envisioned herself winning multiple Grand Slams, even as a kid. Though she only has one under her belt so far, she’s well on her way to achieving her childhood dream. Here’s a timeline of Coco’s career highlights, including her Grand Slam performances, that helped her climb the global ranks:
- French Open 2022: Coco’s first Grand Slam final was marked by her finishing up as runner-up in singles and doubles.
- US Open 2023: She became the U.S. Open singles champion, clenching her first Grand Slam title and becoming the first American teenager to win the tournament since Serena Williams in 1999. After a lackluster start, a double fault by her opponent, Aryna Sabalenka, gave Coco her first break of serve and ultimately turned the match in Coco’s favor. In her victory speech, she famously thanked those who didn’t believe in her and for “adding gas to her fire.”
- Australian Open 2024: Going head-to-head with Aryna Sabalenka again, Coco made it to the semifinal round before losing to the defending champion.
- French Open 2024: She won her first doubles match with her partner, Kateřina Siniaková, and made it to the semifinal round in singles.
- Paris 2024: Coco Gauff’s Olympic debut ended in a third-round singles loss to Donna Vekić. It was marked by a controversial line call that spurred a heated debate between Coco and the chair umpire. But she still made history, leading the US tennis team as a flag bearer alongside LeBron James at the Opening Ceremony, making her the youngest American to ever do so.
- China Open 2024: Another victory achieved in straight sets, China Open 2024 gave Coco the title of the youngest champion in 14 years and the second American to win it behind Serena Williams.
These noteworthy performances have vaulted Coco to the top of the global rankings and underlined the superstar’s success and permanence in the sport. With a game defined by her aggressive play, chart-topping footspeed, powerful shots from the baseline and 128 mile-per-hour serve, it’s only a matter of time before Coco lands the coveted No.1 spot.
Coco Gauff’s rise in the WTA rankings
Coco Gauff made her WTA tour debut in 2019, ending the year ranked No. 68, the youngest player inside the Top 100. Her historic run at Wimbledon that year, which included the first-round victory over Venus Williams and her first WTA title in Linz, Austria, helped launch her into elite territory.
Coco has since won seven singles titles, nine doubles titles and two WTA 1000 titles, helping her make significant bounds in the WTA rankings. She made her Top 10 debut in 2022, rose to No.3 in the 2023 year-end rankings, sealed a No.1 doubles ranking in the same year and reached a career-high No.2 ranking in women’s singles earlier in 2024.
To round out her global and national accomplishments, she’s also been named:
- The youngest American to reach the Top 10 since Serena Williams in 1999
- The first woman in the Open Era to win her first seven WTA hard-court finals
- The fourth player ever to win multiple WTA 1000 titles before age 21
Based on current week’s match results, Coco Gauff is ranked third in singles, following a recent big win at the China Open and her second title of the season.
Training and dedication to her craft
Coco’s natural talent undoubtedly has helped carry her throughout her career. But she’s proven there’s always room for improvement, whether it’s adjusting her coaching roster or tweaking her technique to improve her forehand.
Coco works out six days a week, sometimes twice a day, even during the height of the season. On any given day, you might find her sprinting, lifting weights, jumping rope, doing core exercises or practicing swings to improve her endurance and strength. She even added boxing to her pre-season training to improve her balance and footwork en route to her first Grand Slam victory.
After a few disappointing losses, including her third-round loss at Wimbledon 2024, Coco Gauff made notable changes to her coaching staff. She parted ways with her previous coach Brad Gilbert and added Matt Daly, former pro coach and college tennis player, to join her longtime coach, Jean-Christophe “JC” Faurel. She’s already seeing success with the switch, crediting the new coach with grip changes that improved her game since losing the quarterfinal match of the recent US Open.
But Coco’s success derives from more than her physical aptitude and elite coaching team. Coco also talks openly about developing mental endurance to overcome self-doubt and navigate the immense pressure to succeed as a prodigy in the sport. She even attributes her 2022 French Open success, her first Grand Slam singles final at the time, to shifting her mindset to a “more selfish approach to tennis.”
Coco Gauff: On and off the court influence
Coco Gauff isn’t just paving the way on the court as one of the youngest and most accomplished Black tennis stars. She’s also an activist who uses her voice and platform to advocate for herself and others on and off the court.
For Coco, spearheading change isn’t simply a desire — it’s in her DNA. Her parents instilled in her the belief that she could “change the world with her racquet” from an early age. But she also draws inspiration from her grandmother, Yvonee Lee Odom, a community leader and former athlete who desegregated Seacrest High School in Delray Beach, Florida, in 1961. It’s this spirit of resistance that fuels Coco’s advocacy and impels her to speak out against injustices.
On the court, Coco fervently advocates for herself, challenging bad calls, calling for replays and highlighting unfair treatment from the umpires. Beyond the game, she’s unapologetically outspoken about her stance on social injustice, police brutality and racial inequality. In June 2020, at only 15 years old, Coco Gauff attended a peaceful protest in her hometown, wielding a sign honoring victims of police brutality, to deliver an impassioned speech to the crowd. She’s also openly criticized Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and his policy decisions, including Florida’s book ban law that allows books to be challenged and removed from public libraries.
Earlier this year, Coco told TIME that her goal is to be “on the right side of history.” So instead of being silent, she leverages her influence and reach to inspire other young athletes to take a stance and advocate for social change.
What’s next for Coco Gauff?
Coco’s early success is a testament to her talent, determination and resilience. But she’s far from done. As she heads into the WTA Finals, returning as the youngest participant for the third straight season, she’ll have her eyes set on topping the global rankings. Also, with strategic adjustments heading into the 2025 season, she remains a top contender for future Grand Slam titles. With her evolving talent and growing influence as a public figure, her legacy as one of the sport’s most prolific and impactful players is only beginning to bloom.
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