Tennis star Coco Gauff wouldn’t be where she is today without the unconditional love and support from her parents, Candi Gauff and Corey Gauff.
Coco’s career has been a whirlwind ever since she defeated her role model, Venus Williams, in the first round of Wimbledon in 2019.
The one constant through it all? Her family. Most notably her parents, who gave up everything so she could chase her tennis dreams. “My dad told me I could do this when I was eight, and obviously, you never believe it,” Coco told reporters following her 2019 Wimbledon upset.
Fast forward to August 2023, Coco not only became the first teenager but also the youngest player to ever win the Mubadala Citi DC Open. That same month, Coco captured her first Cincinnati Open title. Then, in September 2023, she became a Grand Slam champion when she won the 2023 US Open.
“Thank you, first, to my parents. Today was the first time I’ve ever seen my dad cry,” Coco during her on-court interview. “Thank you guys, you believed in me from the beginning. My dad took me to this tournament. [I watched] Venus and Serena compete, so it’s really incredible to be on this stage.”
Coco is quickly becoming a household name, but her father tells Teen Vogue that Coco’s road to greatness isn’t a story of overnight success, nor would he or Candi consider their daughter a tennis “prodigy.”
“When it comes to something like tennis, [Coco] works hard. This is not an accident. She might be overnight popular, but she’s not an overnight success,” he stated.
Prior to the birth of their oldest child, Corey and Candi were on the road to becoming professional athletes themselves. Corey played basketball at Georgia State University, while Candi was on the track and field team at Florida State University. In fact, Candi’s heptathlon performance in 1991 is still considered one of the best scores in FSU history.
Coco may have inherited some of her parents’ athleticism, but Corey told The New York Times it was really he and Candi who lucked out. In an interview, the proud dad shared how their respective sporting experiences prepared them for raising a pro athlete of their own.
“I think it helps parents when they have played as high as college or even pro,” he said. “You better understand the process, and so you don’t get too jittery about it. You don’t feel like you’re running out of time, so you are not rushed. You kind of meet your kid where they are at.”
They have been married for more than 20 years