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Coco Gauff Opens Up About How Her Fast Rise to Tennis Fame Led to Depression


Tennis star Coco Gauff just turned 16 last month, but she’s already become a household name in the world of sports and beyond thanks to her upset of Venus Williams, and a deep run into the 4th round, at Wimbledon in 2019. The boost in her profile also made her a must-watch at last year’s US Open where she eventually lost to another young tennis phenom, Naomi Osaka.

The pressure of the sport and the spotlight can be intense even for a grownup, but imagine all of that attention coming to you when you’re barely old enough to drive. Gauff recently opened up about just how difficult it’s been for her in an emotionally candid new post on Behind the Racquet, a platform that allows players to tell their stories in their own words.

“Right before Wimbledon, going back to around 2017/18, I was struggling to figure out if this was really what I wanted. I always had the results so that wasn’t the issue, I just found myself not enjoying what I loved. I realized I needed to start playing for myself and not other people. For about a year I was really depressed,” she writes. “That was the toughest year for me so far. Even though I had, it felt like there weren’t many friends there for me. When you are in that dark mindset you don’t look on the bright side of things too often, which is the hardest part. I don’t think it had much to do with tennis, maybe just about juggling it all. I knew that I wanted to play tennis but didn’t know how I wanted to go about it. It went so far that I was thinking about possibly taking a year off to just focus on life. Choosing not to obviously was the right choice but I was close to not going in that direction.”

“I was just lost. I was confused and overthinking if this was what I wanted or what others did,” she continued. “It took many moments sitting, thinking and crying. I came out of it stronger and knowing myself better than ever. Everyone asks me how I stay calm on court and I think it’s because I accepted who I am after overcoming low points in my life. Now, when I’m on court, I am just really thankful to be out there.”

DON EMMERT/Getty Images



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Melania Trump Shows Off Progress on a New White House Tennis Pavilion


It seems whenever Melania Trump walks outside, she manages to ignite conversation—and criticism. Her latest project won’t be changing that trend.

On March 5, the First Lady tweeted, “I am excited to share the progress of the Tennis Pavillion at @WhiteHouse. Thank you to the talented team for their hard work and dedication.” The tweet also included photos of Trump in a hard hat, going over plans at the construction site.

According to CNN, “The tennis pavilion will be located on the South Lawn of the White House, near the Children’s Garden, which was constructed in 1968 at the behest of first lady Lady Bird Johnson, and the Kitchen Garden, the 2,800 square foot garden planted by first lady Michelle Obama in 2009.”

The project was first announced last October when FLOTUS said, “It is my hope that this private space will function as a place to gather and spend leisure time for First Families.”

But the photo op—staged while America combats a global and growing health crisis as coronavirus takes hold—feels a little out of step with the fear and nerves that are spreading in tandem with the virus. Never mind the destruction in Tennessee due to the tornadoes that hit Nashville earlier this week. People on social media were quick to call this out.

“It is not the fact that tennis courts are being built at WH that is at issue (by all means, build them), it is the ignorance surrounding the optics of voluntarily promoting these private benefits during the ongoing public health & financial crisis,” one person tweeted. The First Lady also drew comparisons to Marie Antoinette.

This is certainly not the first time Melania Trump has been accused of striking a tone-deaf note. Who can forget her infamous “I Really Don’t Care, Do U?” jacket while visiting a shelter housing children separated from their families at the U.S. border. “It’s a jacket. There was no hidden message,” said Stephanie Grisham, the First Lady’s then spokesperson.



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Serena Williams Had the Best Response for Critics Who Think She Should Stick to Tennis


Serena Williams might have lost the final women’s singles showdown at Wimbledon on Saturday, but she’s not about to let that defeat—or any others—throw her off. Speaking in a press conference after the match against Romania’s Simona Halep (final score: 6-2, 6-2), Williams powerfully defended herself against recent critiques, including from tennis legend Billie Jean King, that she should focus more on tennis and less on her activism work and “being a celebrity.”

“There have been a few comments made in the last couple of weeks from people like Billie Jean King that maybe you should stop being a celebrity for a year and stop fighting for equality and just focus on the tennis,” a journalist asked her at the end of the press conference. “How do you respond to that?”

Williams, of course, had the perfect answer ready. “The day I stop fighting for equality and for people that look like you and me will be the day I’m in my grave,” the 23-time Grand Slam champ responded.

For context, King had said back in June that it was a “wish” she had to see Williams just focus on tennis. “She’s got business, a baby, she’s trying to help gender equity, particularly for women of color, she’s actually on the Billie Jean King leadership initiative, she and Venus are both advisors for it. [It makes winning a Slam] much harder,” she told the U.K.’s Metro, highlighting that there’s a lot on Williams’ plate. “I would like her to put everything else aside, because she’s got people working on those things. I wish she would just make a commitment for the next year and a half to two years and say, ‘I’m going to absolutely focus on what’s necessary for my tennis, so when I look in the mirror when I’m older then I can go back in my mind and know I gave it everything I had.'”

“If she’s happy doing it this way, then that’s fine. It’s whatever makes her happy, it’s not about us,” King added.

After Williams’ response at the press conference, King clarified her words on Twitter: “I would never ask anyone to stop fighting for equality. In everything she does, Serena shines a light on what all of us must fight for in order to achieve equality for all,” she wrote.

King is herself a staunch advocate for gender equality: She won the historic 1973 “Battle of the Sexes” tennis match against Bobby Riggs, which went a long way toward breaking down the cultural perception that women’s sports are somehow “less than” men’s, though that fight is far from over. In the Metro article, King also admitted that it’s “not fair” to ask Williams to devote herself only to tennis—and she referenced how difficult the sport became for her as she aged past 40 (Williams is 37).





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Serena Williams Calls Roger Federer the 'Greatest of All Time' After Historic Tennis Match


Tennis champions Serena Williams and Roger Federer faced off for the first time during a historic doubles match at the Hopman Cup in Australia on Tuesday. Even though Federer emerged the victor from the New Year’s Day match, Williams’ graceful reaction proved exactly why she’s still the GOAT.

The 23-time Grand Slam title holder was all smiles after she and her partner Francis Tiafoe played Federer and his teammate Belinda Bencic. In moments after the match and in a subsequent interview with the two players, it’s clear the tennis greats are friendly: Williams praised Federer and shared how excited she was to get the chance to compete against him.

PHOTO: GREG WOOD/AFP/Getty Images

“It was a great experience. I’m kind of sad it’s over—you know, I was just warming up,” she joked. “We grew up together, really, and having an opportunity, after all these years, we’ve actually never done this, and so this was super cool that we got to do this at such a pinnacle point in both our careers. For me, it was super cool. I literally wanted to take pictures and bring my baby out. I was way too excited.”

2019 Hopman Cup - Day 4

PHOTO: Will Russell/Getty Image

“The guy is great, he’s the greatest of all time to be honest. Both on the court and off the court. He has such charisma and is a wonderful player,” she continued.

Federer had a lot to say about Williams as well: “I was nervous returning because you just don’t know. People talk about her serve so much, and I see why it’s such a wonderful serve because you just can’t read it,” he said before Williams’ cut in with, “I can’t read yours either!”

“We have the same qualities,” Federer offered with a laugh.

2019 Hopman Cup - Day 4

PHOTO: Paul Kane/Getty Images

Williams spent a lot of her 2018 making huge strides for women athletes by speaking about sexism, sharing candid stories about motherhood, and even—successfully—challenging the rules of fashion in tennis. It’s great to see she’s starting her 2019 in true sportsmanlike style.

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Serena Williams' Best Tennis Outfits of All Time


Tennis fashion has not only become a topic of conversation, it’s become a full-blown trend: Data site Lyst recently reported that searches for “tennis apparel” increased by 59 percent since 2017. But Serena Williams has been consistently innovating and pushing conventions on this category for decades, since her training days in the early ’90s.

Throughout her career, which spans 72 singles titles and 23 doubles titles, Williams has taken to the court in ROYGBIV dresses, statement jewelry, and, yes, catsuits. As her star has risen in the sport, so has her fashion credit—first with a Puma endorsement, then with a Nike sponsorship, which continues to this day. (Her 2018 U.S. Open uniforms are the result of a collaboration between her, Nike, and Virgil Abloh for Off-White.)

Over twenty-six years in the sports world’s spotlight, Williams hasn’t repeated a single look for her major matches. (Though, she has shown a preference for colorblocked dresses and coordinated sneakers.) And some of her outfits have incited controversy. But Williams doesn’t seem fazed by it—like she said in response to the French Open’s ban on one of her outfits: “When it comes to fashion, you don’t want to be a repeat offender.”

In honor of her eighteenth U.S. Open appearance, we’re looking back at Williams’ most epic tennis outfits of all time.

We bring you the trends. You make them your own. Sign up for our daily newsletter to find the best fashion for YOU.



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French Tennis Player Alize Cornet Was Penalized for Fixing Her Shirt on the Court at the 2018 U.S. Open


It hasn’t even been a week since the controversy over Serena Williams‘ French Open attire, and now the tennis world once again finds itself embroiled in a dustup over what is appropriate for women in the sport.

At the 2018 U.S. Open, French player Alizé Cornet was given a code violation by a chair umpire for removing her shirt on the court, after she realized she was wearing it backward. According to the official Women’s Tennis Association rulebook, female players can change their shirts only off-court. There’s no comparable rule for the men—some of whom, like Novak Djokovic, openly sat shirtless with no repercussions multiple times yesterday.

Cornet had just returned from a 10-minute heat break (it’s currently sweltering in New York), during which she changed her shirt. When she got on the court, she realized she had put it on backward, so she quickly took off the shirt and turned it around. The whole switch took about 10 seconds. The chair umpire who issued the code violation was male.

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Social media users were quick to call out the double standard in Cornet’s situation. That includes Billie Jean King, who wrote on Twitter, “This rule is outdated and impractical.”

Shortly after the incident, the U.S Open issued a statement to clarify its position. “Players who do change their shirts will not be assessed a code violation,” US Open director of communications Chris Widmaier said. “We regret that Ms. Cornet was assessed a code violation. However, luckily, she was assessed a warning only and there was no further penalty above a warning.”

“When possible, if a more private location is near a court and is requested, that player will be allowed to go to that private location to change, and they will not be assessed a bathroom break,” the statement continued. “We follow WTA procedures regarding bathroom breaks. A quick change of attire will not considered one of their two bathroom breaks.” Widmaier said no code violations for similar actions will be assessed going forward in the tournament.

While the U.S. Open may have backpedaled on the issue now, it’s all too clear that the powers-that-be in women’s tennis need to take a look at the ways they are policing their female players’ bodies and attire.

On Friday Bernard Giudicelli of the French Tennis Federation said they would “impose certain limits” on clothing that can be worn during the tournament, beginning with the 2019 French Open. This was in response to Williams’ catsuit (worn back in May), which he said went “too far” and would not be allowed next year.

PHOTO: Jean Catuffe

“It will no longer be accepted,” Giudicelli said. “One must respect the game and the place.”

In an interview with The Cut published today, tennis legend Billie Jean King said of the policing of women’s outfits on the court: “Fashion usually dictates our freedoms. Back in the old days, our wrists and our ankles couldn’t be shown. If you look at the fashion every decade in women’s tennis—which is very small—you can see how things are changing in the world for us: our freedoms, the way we dress, which is good. But I never hear them really talk about how the guys should dress.”

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