In the last month, Coco Gauff attended her first Olympics and served as the Team USA flag-bearer alongside LeBron James; celebrated a new fashion collaboration with American Eagle; launched a signature shoe with New Balance (the Coco CG2); and is gearing up to defend her winning title at the 2024 U.S. Open. Exhausted from reading that list? You should be.
And while the 20-year-old tennis player’s Olympics run ended earlier than she had hoped, Gauff says she’s grateful for the experience that allowed her to be a part of “a team environment.” However, she’s excited to return to her home country and play as the defending champion on the U.S. Open courts. “I know the fans are going to be really supportive of me playing in the U.S. and being an American, so I’m really happy.”
Gauff’s fame skyrocketed as a result of last year’s U.S. Open, when the young tennis star made history after becoming the first American teenager to win the Open Grand Slam title since Serena Williams in 1999. But it wasn’t just her win that was celebrated; it was her now-iconic speech in which the then-19-year-old famously thanked the people who have helped her along the way and those who haven’t. “Thank you to the people who didn’t believe in me,” she said at the time. “Honestly, to those who thought they were putting water in my fire: You were really adding gas to it, and now it’s really burning so bright right now.”
Recently, in a room of editors, influencers, and TV stars at the New York launch event for her Coco Gauff x AE collection, she said that having her own collection with American Eagle is “a dream come true. I didn’t expect the turnout — I mean, I know there’s people that were invited, but I was like, ‘No one’s gonna wanna come.’”
But don’t let the very mindful behavior fool you. The athlete tells the Cut that she’s still embracing her brat-girl summer, and if you’re heading to the U.S. Open this year, you’ll see a driven champion with a desire to win it all again. Off the court, though, you’d probably find a crop-top wearing Gauff jamming out to Megan Thee Stallion, playing Roblox, or the hunt for the best pizza slice in NYC.
The U.S. Open started today. How do you feel?
Going into U.S. Open is a different feeling because I’m also a defending champion, so it’s a little bit more pressure. It’s a blessing to be in this position. If you’re defending, that means you won in the past. And I know the fans will be really supportive of me playing in the U.S. and being an American, so I’m really happy.
Do you have a pump-up routine for game days?
I try to calm down before matches because I know when I’m on the court, I will get pumped up. So before, I try to be in a calm mind-set. I’m usually just on TikTok or something right before. Sometimes I listen to Megan Thee Stallion. And then recovery-wise, I’ll do an ice bath, and then I’ll do treatment with my physio. If I don’t play a night match, I’ll do dinner somewhere in the city. But if I do play a night match, I usually eat room service and go to sleep.
You posted photos with a slew of fellow USA athletes while you were in Paris. Do you have rules for meeting other famous people?
I always say acknowledge the person before you go, “Can I get a photo?” I would say that’s the main one. But obviously in the Olympics it was just different, because I’m pretty sure everybody was a fan of everybody. We all wanted photos with each other. Katie Ledecky’s the only one who didn’t ask for the photo back, but I’m pretty sure she was in the middle of her evening snack when I asked her, and she was so nice. I even asked her, “How do you get around the village without people recognizing you?” She’s like, “I just wear my hat and I look like a regular girl with a hat on.”
Were you able to enjoy a bit of the nightlife when you were in Paris? What’s your idea of a perfect night out?
I didn’t. I was staying in the village, and I was so busy. I was in all three events for the tennis, so I was just locked in. So, actually, I haven’t gone to a real Parisian club or anything like that. I’ve gotten invited, but I also have a little bit of anxiety when it comes to that, so I tend to stay away from it. I go to Paris every year because of the French Open, so I’ll make it out one of these times.
You’re currently in a relationship. What are your nonnegotiables when it comes to dating? Things everyone should do or not do on a first date?
Don’t try to let people change your boundaries. You know what your boundaries are. He should always open the door for you and compliment you in all aspects, not when you’re just looking good in a little short dress. Flowers are also a nice nonnegotiable. I feel like that’s just a nice move.
Also, he has to be your friend — or he/she, whoever, has to be your friend. You have to be good friends, I think, because not everybody wants to be in romance mode all the time. So I just want to be with someone I could hang out with.
Do you think it’s okay to ghost people?
I mean, it depends on how they approach you. But I feel like if they approach you with respect and everything and you’re not feeling it, you should let that person know.
Do you prefer texting or calling? How would you describe your texting style?
I have a bad habit of looking at the message and forgetting to respond.
I’m a texter more than a caller — I hate when people call me for things that can be answered on text.
I feel like parents kind of do that a lot. And you’re like, “Mom, just text me.”
Mine have kind of stopped because I just won’t answer.
You’re always traveling. Describe your travel style. Do you have an in-flight skin-care routine?
When I pack for trips, I try to pack interchangeable outfits. I pack staple pieces and three pairs of jeans: a black one and a dark wash and a light wash. And then I usually have my American Eagle black jean jacket that I pack on every trip. And it’s actually a thing: People say, “This is the only jacket you wear.” I don’t care. Because most of the time when we’re traveling, it’s summer, so I don’t need a jacket, but there are always some nights when it’s cold. And then on the plane … the whole skin-care thing, I don’t know. I pass out as soon as I’m in the air. I eat my food, and I pass out, and my skin does look dry afterwards. But I’m just like, I couldn’t be bothered. I’ll fix it later.
Would you ever “raw-dog” a flight?
No. Those people are crazy. I could raw-dog maybe like an hour flight. But even if — I mean, just all the thoughts that go in your head …
You just launched a collaboration with American Eagle. Any rules for dressing in the summer heat?
I always love a crop top. I’m usually wearing one. I have to wear outfits that I can dress up or dress down with accessories because that’s my outfit for the day. I’m not changing — I know some people have two different outfits. I usually like to wear ripped jeans because they have holes in them — so they’re not too hot — and I’ll put on makeup to dress it up. I feel like the world has become a lot more casual.
What are your must-dos, must-eats, must-sees for being here in New York?
I love Joe & the Juice because we don’t really have them close to where I live in Florida. So when I’m in New York — there’s a Joe & the Juice wherever you’re staying close by — I just love to go there. I also went to the Burger Joint last night, which is kind of like a speakeasy hidden burger place, and that was really good. I’ve never had a real New York pizza slice, though. So that’s what I’m wanting to do this year. I’ve been coming to New York since I was 10 or so, almost every year, and I’ve never gotten pizza. Because usually once the tournament starts, I can’t eat the pizza. And if I lose, I’m ready to go — I want to go home. But this might be the week to try a place.
Do you have any rules for attending the U.S. Open?
As a player, win … except when you’re playing against me. And as a fan, have fun. I know people love the Honey Duces, so get a Honey Duce and try to get a picture or autograph from your favorite player. And come with the outfits. I feel like last year there were some really cool outfits, so you have to bring it even more this year. I mean, Justin Bieber, he showed up. And Hailey Bieber was there, so you gotta step up. Kylie Jenner and Timothée Chalamet, that was a soft launch. I guess hard launch or soft launch your boo at the U.S. Open.
Would you say you’re having a brat-girl summer, or are you ready for a demure-girl fall?
I’ve been playing “Dress to Empress” on Roblox and Charlie XCX did a Brat collab with them, so I guess right now I’m more brat-girl summer. It’s just August, so we’ll get to fall when it’s, like, October and then we in our very demure, very mindful, very cutesy mind-set.
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