Before her Round of 16 match against Wang Xinyu at the Grass Court Championships in Berlin, American tennis star Coco Gauff took time to celebrate the Florida Panthers’ impressive 5-1 win over the Edmonton Oilers in Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Finals. This victory marked the Panthers’ second straight Stanley Cup championship, having also defeated the Oilers in last season’s final.
Gauff, originally from Atlanta and proud of her South Florida roots, shared her excitement through her Instagram stories by reposting the Panthers’ official championship graphic, captioning it simply, “soflo.” The Panthers’ dominant performance at Amerant Bank Arena was powered by Sam Reinhart’s four goals, Matthew Tkachuk’s single goal, along with significant assists from Carter Verhaeghe and Aleksander Barkov. The Oilers managed one goal by Vasily Podkolzin, set up by Leon Draisaitl.
South Florida’s Rising Athletic Excellence
Coco Gauff and the Florida Panthers are shining examples of South Florida’s growing influence in the sports world. Gauff, based in Delray Beach, has secured two Grand Slam titles, including the 2023 US Open and the 2025 French Open. In the French Open final, she overcame world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka in a challenging three-set match, becoming the first American since Serena Williams in 2015 to win the women’s singles title at Roland Garros.
With such achievements, Gauff has become a leading figure in American tennis. After leaving Paris behind, she now turns her attention to upcoming grass-court competitions, where a potential Wimbledon showdown with Sabalenka is anticipated to begin on June 30.
“I think I can give myself the best shot [of winning Wimbledon] by trying to keep the moment [winning the French Open] as minimised as possible,” she said on the Nice Talk with Nikki Ogunnaike podcast. “I’m kind of trying to forget the Roland Garros win, honestly.”
—Coco Gauff, Tennis Player
Meanwhile, the Florida Panthers have rewritten expectations in the NHL. After reaching the finals in 2023, they captured their inaugural Stanley Cup in 2024 and successfully defended that title in 2025, signaling a new era for South Florida hockey.
South Florida’s Growing Sports Landscape
The recent triumphs of Gauff and the Panthers contribute to a thriving sports culture across South Florida. Beyond tennis and hockey, Inter Miami continues to attract international attention largely due to Lionel Messi’s presence, while the Miami Heat remain a formidable team in the NBA. These developments reflect a vibrant athletic environment that showcases the region’s expanding impact on major sports stages nationwide.