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The ball is in Coco Gauff's court.
The two-time Grand Slam champion, 21, is opening up about her match-day style, defending her choice to get glam and carefully plan her looks for the year’s biggest tournaments.
"I plan my outfits for tournaments well in advance just because I like to know what I'm wearing," Gauff explained in a Vogue Beauty Secrets video. She added that for the 2025 US Open, she plans to get her nails done to coordinate with her outfit.
While she admitted it is "very rare" for her hair, nails and outfit to align perfectly, Gauff said she makes the extra effort during Grand Slam events. "I don't know why it's such a big deal what women choose to do with their on-court or off-court looks," she said, addressing critics who claim she spends more time on her outfits than her training.
"And I'm like, 'I'm a human. Tennis is what I do, but it's not who I am,'" she continued. "I like to express myself the way any other person does."
For Gauff, fashion is not a distraction but a way of showing up as her best self. "If women want to do that, they should be celebrated and not persecuted for it," she added.
Ahead of the 2024 US Open, the athlete revealed she often plans her Grand Slam ensembles years in advance, though the final choice is never locked in until match day. The tradition continues with her outfits for Wimbledon, the Australian Open and the French Open, where she won her second major title in 2025.
Her experimentation extends to hairstyles as well. Last year, she went honey blonde, drawing inspiration from Willow Smith. Expressing herself through both style and performance, Gauff says, is something she feels "very passionate about."
The 2025 US Open began on August 24 at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Queens, New York, where Gauff took the court in a fiery red New Balance crop top and skirt, complete with matching sneakers and accessories. She powered through her opening match against Ajla Tomljanovic on August 26, sealing victory with her trademark backhand.
As the tournament continues, the No. 3 seed will face her second-round opponent on August 28 at Arthur Ashe Stadium, determined to make both her tennis and her style shine.