Coco Gauff has opened up about how her parents, Candi and Corey Gauff, made tremendous sacrifices and went against their family’s wishes to support her tennis career. After winning the 2025 French Open, she credited their dedication as a key factor in her success.

The Crucial Role of Coco Gauff’s Parents in Advancing Her Tennis Path

After capturing the prestigious Suzanne-Lenglen Cup, Gauff spoke with TODAY about her parents’ unwavering support. She revealed that they relocated from their dream home in Atlanta to Florida, a move driven by the belief that it was the best environment for her to develop as a player. This relocation came with many challenges, including a temporary stay with her grandmother before securing a new home.

I would like to say thank you. Thank them for everything you know. We realized that Florida was the place to be for tennis, so we moved from Atlanta to Florida. They had our dream house or their dream house, and for them to move. We would stay with my grandmother in her house for about six or seven months before we were able to get our own place,

Gauff said.

Gauff recounted that her parents faced criticism from extended family members who questioned their decisions, especially about shifting to online schooling and moving states for tennis. However, her mother firmly communicated their commitment to supporting Gauff’s aspirations and called for the family’s collective encouragement.

Just all the sacrifice and the fact that my dad and my mom had that belief for me at a young age, and kind of set my family straight because some of my family is like, ‘What are you doing?’ She’s doing online school, and y’all are moving.’ My mom had a conversation with them. She’s like, ‘This is what we are gonna do: we are gonna support her, and y’all be either here to support her.’ And since then, they all have supported me,

she continued.

Gauff emphasized how fortunate she feels to have such a dependable support system, especially during challenging moments in her career or when her performance dips. The comfort of knowing she can always rely on her family provides her with strength and perspective.

So, I’m just grateful for that support system. I think it really helps when those moments are tight, and you realize that regardless of the result, I have a group of people to come home to,

Gauff added.

Upcoming Challenges for Coco Gauff at the 2025 Berlin Tennis Open

Following her triumph in Paris, Gauff is preparing for her next major tournament as she gears up for the 2025 Berlin Tennis Open. This WTA 500 event is scheduled from June 16 to June 22, 2025, on the grass courts of Berlin’s Rot-Weiss Tennis Club in Germany. The tournament marks an important start to the grass-court season.

The Berlin competition will feature a robust roster including top players such as Aryna Sabalenka, Elena Rybakina, Zheng Qinwen, Mirra Andreeva, Jessica Pegula, and Madison Keys. Gauff has previously demonstrated strong performances at Berlin; in 2024, she entered the tournament as the top seed and advanced directly to the second round with a bye.

During that run, she earned a hard-fought victory over Ekaterina Alexandrova, winning 7-6(6), 6-2 in her opening match. Gauff then faced eighth seed Ons Jabeur in the quarterfinals, where she took the first set 7-6(9) before Jabeur retired in the second set. However, Gauff’s campaign ended in the semifinals when she was narrowly defeated by Jessica Pegula, who went on to claim the title, with scores of 5-7, 6(2)-7.

The Berlin Tennis Open represents an important opportunity for Gauff to continue building momentum as she transitions from clay to grass, with a chance to gain crucial ranking points and refine her game ahead of Wimbledon and other major tournaments this summer.