5 Reasons Coco Gauff Is the Tennis Superstar of the Moment

Have you seen her iconic post-game interviews or Beyoncé lip syncs?

August 22, 2025

The rise of tennis phenom Coco Gauff has been nothing short of electric. Based on numbers alone, it’s impossible not to be impressed—two Grand Slam titles at only 21 years old, and she’s the youngest American to win the French Open since Serena Williams. But aside from her technical skills and killer backhand, it’s her star power—a mix of confidence, charisma, and a magnetic personality—that’s made sports diehards and more casual viewers alike know her name and cheer for her wins.

Whether you’ve been following her from the jump or started going down a fandom rabbit hole ahead of this year’s US Open, Gauff is a name you won’t stop hearing anytime soon. So below, we’ve rounded up all the more reason(s) to stan Gen Z’s tennis legend in the making, a symbol of representation, and an inspiration all around.

1. She handles pressure like a pro.

In true legend fashion, Gauff has thanked not only her family and fans but shouted out the haters too, saying, “Those who thought they were putting water on my fire, you were really adding gas to it. Now I’m really burning so bright right now.”

She continued to acknowledge folks who doubted her skills during a post-match interview as well. “I felt like people were like, ‘It was all hype.’ I see the comments,” Gauff said. “People think I don’t see, but I’m very aware of Tennis Twitter. I know y’all’s usernames. I know who’s talking trash. I can’t wait to look on Twitter right now.”

2. She’s had an inspirational journey, from a fan in the stands to a US Open champ.

If you didn’t know, Gauff actually first shot to fame after defeating one of her idols, Venus Williams, at Wimbledon back in 2019—at only 15 years old! But that technically wasn’t her first time appearing at a major match.

A viral throwback video circulating online shows an adorable eight-year-old Gauff cheering and dancing from the bleachers at the 2012 US Open. Little did tiny Coco know that a decade later, she would be the center of attention as the crowd went wild for her.

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3. She’s not afraid to be vulnerable with the world.

Tennis isn’t just physically taxing. Mentally, it’s a challenge too—and being compared to GOATs like Serena and having all eyes on you adds a ton of additional pressure. It’s no surprise, then, that Gauff has dealt with her fair share of frustration and disappointment when she doesn’t perform as well as she’d hoped.

In a vulnerable BBC Sports column, she reflected on the life-changing perspective shift that has helped her manage these tough feelings. “I do think you can accomplish great things at any age—but for your own mental well-being, you have to remind yourself you will fail and make some silly mistakes,” Gauff wrote. “Now I’m trying to tell myself to enjoy my wins a little bit more.” (Honestly, that’s a mindset we should all be adopting.)

4. She’s passionate about making a difference on and off the court.

Just weeks after the murder of George Floyd in June 2020, Gauff delivered an impassioned speech in her hometown of Delray Beach, Florida. “I’ve been spending all week having tough conversations, trying to educate my non-Black friends on how they can help the movement,” a 16-year-old Gauff said at the time.

More recently, the tennis pro proudly voiced her opposition to her home state’s “Don’t Say Gay” bill , which restricts classroom discussions about sexual orientation or gender identity for many young students. “I’m against it,” Gauff told reporters at the time. “These conversations are important, and for me, who has friends in the LGBTQ+ community, I couldn’t imagine not being able to talk about your identity.”

5. She’s making tennis refreshingly fun again.

Aside from being, ya know, a major tennis star, Gauff is just like us—well, kind of. She, too, fangirls over pop singers (Justin Bieber to be specific), for example, and bought her very first Labubu. Not to mention, Gauff brings the kind of refreshing, youthful energy we’ve needed into tennis fashion, moving past the usual bland skirts with bold colors and inventive cuts (as seen in her recent Miu Miu and New Balance collab).

Despite her professionalism on the court, she also knows how to let loose on the sidelines too, as evidenced by the fact that she (hilariously) roasted her fellow teammates’ outfits in good fun. You can see more of her lighthearted side on her TikTok account, where she’s lip-synced away her differences with rival Aryna Sabalenka, for instance, and rooted for her favorite couple on Love Island (Nicolandria, obviously) like the rest of us.

Especially in a predominantly white sport, it’s inspiring to see such a confident, expressive, fun-loving young woman like Gauff get her flowers from both fans and the tennis establishment.