Coco Gauff was touted as the next big thing ever since her breakthrough at the 2019 Wimbledon. She has certainly lived up to the expectations, which were placed upon her at a young age to boot.
Gauff recently claimed her maiden Major title in singles at the US Open. She rose to a career-high ranking of No. 3 and put together a 16-match winning streak too. The teenager has also ascended to the top of the rankings in doubles.
While the world is aware of her achievements on the court, let’s take a look at some fun trivia about Gauff’s personal life:
#1 – Coco is actually her nickname
The teen sensation’s real name is Cori. However, her nickname is based on her father Corey and once people started calling her Coco, she went along with it. It has now become a huge part of her brand, with her sponsor, New Balance, even running a campaign titled “Call Me Coco”.
#2 – She’s a huge anime buff
Anime’s popularity has increased over the years and it has firmly embedded itself in popular culture. The old stereotype of athletes not having any interests beyond sports was quite misguided back in the day, and even more so now.
Gauff’s a huge fan of the medium and it even helped her during her title-winning run at the US Open. She prepped for her semifinal clash against Karolina Muchova by watching a few episodes of “My Hero Academia”.
The anime series has a huge fan following and for Gauff, watching it became like a pre-match ritual for her during the US Open.
#3 – She loves all things Marvel
The Marvel Cinematic Universe has become a cultural juggenaut over the past decade. Coco Gauff is a part of the Marvel fandom too and has expressed her love for it in various ways.
She cosplayed as Moon Knight for Halloween in the past and was elated when she was featured on the cover of the “Ironheart” comic. Gauff’s also quite fond of Spiderman.
#4 – Coco Gauff is a devout Christian
Gauff has been quite open about her faith and how it has gotten her this far in life. After clinching her maiden WTA 1000 title in Cincinnati, the teenager thanked Jesus Christ for guiding her through some tough times in her victory speech.
“This is unbelievable. I’d like to thank my lord and savior Jesus Christ. I spent a lot of nights alone crying trying to figure it out. I still have a lot to figure out, but I thank him for covering me.” – Gauff following her win in Cincinnati
#5 – R&B is a huge part of her playlist
Gauff gave an insight into her listening habits when she shared her Spotify Wrapped stats last year. R&B, along with rap and alternative, were the dominant genres. Artists like The Weeknd, Beyonce, Doja Cat and Billie Eilish are among her favorites.
#6 – Coco Gauff is a Miami Dolphins supporter
Tennis isn’t the only sport that Gauff cares about as she’s quite passionate about the NFL too. She has been quite vocal about her love for the Miami Dolphins. She even got to rub shoulders with the team’s linebacker, Jaelan Philips, at last year’s Miami Open.
#7 – The reigning US Open champion is a gamer too
Gauff’s hand-eye co-ordination also comes in handy off the court as she’s quite the gamer too. Earlier this year, she was playing Fortnite matches during the Qatar Open. She made it to the quarterfinals in singles there, while winning the doubles title, proving that gaming was not exactly a distraction for her.
#8 – Gauff is a massive foodie
While being an athlete means following a strict diet, players are allowed to indulge themselves from time to time. Gauff’s love for food is no secret, she even has Barilla as her sponsor.
As a tennis player, the American gets to travel the world and try out new cuisines quite frequently. During her recent trip to Beijing for the China Open, she binged on noodles and tried local dishes.
#9 – She’s quite the fashionista
Gauff has made a statement both on and off the court with her sartorial choices. Her partnership with her sponsor New Balance allows her to express her creativity when it comes to her outfits. She even designed her latest footwear for them, with the “Coco CG1” being her new signature shoe.
#10 – Coco Gauff has used her platform to raise awareness for various issues
Gauff has amassed a huge fan following across the world, but remains humble and has a good head on her shoulders. She has often used her voice to champion causes ranging from social justice to mental health issues.
