Quick Facts

Sport: Tennis
Specialty: Women’s singles and doubles

Biographical Information

Coco Gauff is an American professional tennis player who has made her mark on the sport, storming onto the scene as the youngest player to qualify for Wimbledon’s main draw in 2019. Since then, she has become a Grand Slam champion, winning the 2023 US Open, and continues to rise on the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) Tour.

Gauff was introduced to tennis at the age of six. Her parents encouraged her passion for the sport, and by age eight, Gauff became involved with serious training. When she was 10, she began training at a tennis academy in France.

An advocate for women in sports, she also gives back to her local athletic community. Recently she unveiled a newly renovated tennis court in Delray Beach, which is part of the USTA’s $3 million US Open Legacy initiative, established in honor of Gauff.

Olympic Highlights

Gauff made her Olympic debut at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, representing Team USA in the women’s singles and doubles events. Though she was unable to participate, she made a comeback at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. Selected as the United States flag bearer for the opening ceremony, Gauff competed in the singles event and demonstrated her skills before exiting in the third round.

Career Highlights

In 2019, 15-year-old Coco Gauff made tennis history as the youngest player ever to qualify for Wimbledon's main draw, where she stunned the world by defeating Venus Williams in the first round and advancing to the fourth round. She capped off that remarkable year by winning her first WTA singles title at the Linz Open, becoming the youngest WTA champion in over a decade.

Gauff's rise continued in 2020 when she reached the fourth round of the Australian Open, notably defeating defending champion Naomi Osaka. She also advanced to the third round of the US Open while steadily climbing the WTA rankings.

In 2021, Gauff showcased her versatility by reaching the French Open semifinals in singles and finals in doubles. She also claimed her second WTA singles title at the Parma Open, achieving career-high rankings in both disciplines.

The 2022 season saw Gauff reach her first Grand Slam singles final at Roland Garros, finishing as runner-up to Iga Świątek, and later advancing to the semifinals at the US Open.

In 2023, Gauff captured her first Grand Slam singles title at the US Open, defeating Aryna Sabalenka to become the youngest American woman to win the tournament since Serena Williams in 1999. Her impressive year also included victories at prestigious WTA tournaments like the Cincinnati Open and Washington Open.

Early Career

Her early success in junior tournaments set the stage for her meteoric rise. Gauff won the 2018 French Open Girls’ title at just 14 years old, becoming the youngest junior champion in over two decades. She also finished as the runner-up at the US Open Girls’ tournament in the same year.

Gauff turned professional in 2018 and made her debut on the ITF Circuit. In 2019, she made history by becoming the youngest player to qualify for the Wimbledon main draw in the Open Era, where her stunning victory over Venus Williams catapulted her into the global spotlight.

Following her success at Wimbledon, Gauff earned a WTA singles title in Linz and quickly ascended the rankings, becoming the youngest player to reach the top 100.

Olympic Experience

1-time Olympian

Olympic Games Paris 2024, 5th (Doubles - Mixed), 9th (Doubles - Women, Singles - Women)

Grand Slam Experience

Most recent: 2024 Australian Open (semi-finals)
Years of Participation: 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023
Grand Slam Titles: 1
Finals Appearances:
- 2023–U.S. Open
- 2022– French Open

Hometown

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