"Tennis is what I do, but it's not who I am" - Coco Gauff defends herself against being 'persecuted' for her on-court & off-court looks

Coco Gauff addressed criticism she faces for her on-court and off-court looks by clarifying that her life goes far beyond tennis. The American No. 1 explained that, like anyone else, she wants to show up on the court as the best version of herself, and wouldn't want to be persecuted for it.

Coco Gauff won her monumental second Grand Slam title at the 2025 French Open, becoming the first athlete from the United States to achieve the feat since Serena Williams did it in 2015.

Though she stumbled in Wimbledon, the 21-year-old geared up for a promising run in Flushing Meadows. In the latest episode of Vogue, Gauff offered a peek into her beauty routine for the US Open, describing each product elaborately as she applied it. In between her regimen, the two-time major champion addressed critics who react negatively to female players taking their on and off court appearances seriously when all they should focus on is tennis.

Silencing them, Gauff clarified that she has a life beyond the sport, and she should be able to express herself to feel her best on the court and not fear being persecuted for her choices.

"I don't know why it's such a big deal what women choose to do with their on-court or off-court looks. People will tell me like, "Oh,'cause I talk about my outfits a lot, people will be like, 'Oh, you should spend more time on the court than your outfits." And I'm like, 'I'm a human. Like tennis is what I do, but it's not who I am.' And I like to express my way just like any other person would like to express themselves. And for me that's just showing up on court being the best version of myself. But I definitely think if women wanna do that, they should be celebrated and not persecuted for it, period."

Notably, Gauff's latest New Balance x Miu Miu collaboration took her on-court outfit game to a whole new level.

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Coco Gauff once shared how her outfits play an important role in boosting her confidence

Coco Gauff at the Cincinnati Open 2025 - Day 8 - (Source: Getty)

Coco Gauff has a penchant for good fashion, and she always displays that through her hairstyles and outfits. She once shared how feeling good fashionably also boosts her confidence and helps her believe in herself.

“When you walk on court with a good outfit and your hair, your braids are fresh and your skin is looking good, then you just feel like, ‘Okay, I’m gonna beat this girl today.’ 'I’m gonna beat you, and you can’t beat my outfit—and my hair.'" (via Essence)

Coco Gauff played Australian player Ajla Tomljanović in the US Open's opening round and defeated the latter in two sets. The current World No. 3 will next lock horns with Croatian player Donna Vekic.