Coco Gauff has spoken about growing up under public attention before beginning her title defense at the French Open. The American star said that living in the spotlight from a young age has not always been easy. Especially when every mistake becomes visible to millions of people. However, Gauff now believes those moments have helped fans connect with her. She said people can relate to seeing athletes struggle, learn, and improve instead of appearing perfect all the time.The 22-year-old became famous after defeating Venus Williams at Wimbledon Championships when she was only 15 years old. Since then, expectations around her career have continued to grow. Gauff reached her first Grand Slam final at the 2022 French Open. Later she became one of the biggest faces in women’s tennis. Ahead of her opening-round match against Taylor Townsend in Paris, she reflected on both the positives and challenges of becoming a global star. Especially at such a young age.
Coco Gauff says public scrutiny helped her become more relatable
Coco Gauff admitted that life in the spotlight can sometimes feel uncomfortable because every error quickly becomes public discussion. She explained that growing up while millions of people watch your actions can be difficult, especially during teenage years when everyone naturally makes mistakes. Still, the American believes there is a positive side to that experience. According to Gauff, fans may feel encouraged when they see successful athletes dealing with problems and learning from failures instead of acting perfect all the time.The defending French Open champion also reflected on her previous finals in Paris. Speaking about her 2022 loss to Iga Swiatek, Gauff admitted she felt extremely nervous and struggled to play her best tennis during the match. She recalled that the defeat motivated her to become mentally stronger. She avoided feeling that disappointment again in future finals.Gauff also shared memories from her 2025 French Open final victory against Aryna Sabalenka. She revealed that she was surprised by how strongly the Paris crowd supported her throughout the match. The American added that seeing famous filmmaker Spike Lee sitting close to her player box was another memorable moment from the final. Gauff eventually recovered from losing the first set to defeat Sabalenka 6-7, 6-2, 6-4 and lift the title.Now returning to Roland Garros as defending champion, Gauff will hope to begin another strong campaign when she faces Townsend in the opening round.
