Coco Gauff's honest admission about being a Black woman in sports & advice to coming generation

Coco Gauff has cemented herself as one of the biggest tennis stars of the current generation, and one of the most notable women of color gracing the sports world in recent times. Gauff, more vocal than most athletes when it comes to causes she believes in, has earned a reputation as an advocate for women and other minorities through her platform.

But that does not mean the World No. 3 has always been comfortable in her own skin. By her own admission, Gauff had to grow into that and evolve her sense of beauty and fashion in the world.

In a recent interview with Teen Vogue, Coco Gauff admitted that she used to follow make-up tutorials on YouTube and 'cover' certain features she did not feel fit the idea of conventional beauty standards when she was younger. Now, however, Gauff is glad she no longer believes that to be true.

"I definitely think it's evolved a lot. When I was younger, I used to follow all the YouTube tutorials and do [different trends], but now I've become more comfortable with my skin."

"I used to put on makeup to kind of cover those features [I didn’t like], and now I feel like I put it on to emphasize what I already love about myself. I think it's just made me more confident in who I am and feel more confident when I'm stepping out," she said.

Gauff also opened up about her position as a woman of color in sports, and what it means in a larger sense of the world. The American No. 1 believed that all her life people had been trying to put her in a box, and adviced the coming generation to break out of that mind-set as soon as they could.

"In the past, I would try to fit into whatever box people were trying to put me in. You’re growing up in this world and especially in my sport, being a woman of color, just trying to fit in some sort of box, and as I've grown and matured, I've realized I just have to be myself and people appreciate that," Gauff said.

"The biggest advice that I would give them is: You know your own limits. Don't let other people put your limitations on you. You'll find that oftentimes they limit you or dumb you down to a level that you don't deserve to be at. I always tell people to keep pushing yourself and pushing your own limits," she added.

In 2025, Gauff capped a brilliant year by winning her second Grand Slam title at the French Open. She finished the season as the World No. 3, behind only Aryna Sabalenka and Iga Swiatek.

"Being a woman in the sport, what I wear is important to me" - Coco Gauff

In the interview, Coco Gauff also spoke about her fashion sense, stating that she felt it was an important part of the sport that helped her confidence on the court. Off the court as well, Gauff took pride in seeing herself as a woman with a reputation for fashion.

"On the court, definitely the way I dress and the way that I appear. I feel like being a woman in the sport, what I wear is important to me and makes me feel confident. Off the court, similar, my style. But, like I said, smelling good. Even if I don’t have a cute outfit, I like when people walk past me and be like "What do you have on?”" Coco Gauff said.

Coco Gauff will start her 2026 season at the United Cup, pairing up with Taylor Fritz, the American No. 1 on the men's side.

Edited by Shyam Kamal