Coco Gauff reveals 'worst' part of growing up as a publicly-recognized athlete, and explains why she will has no regrets

Coco Gauff has shared her experiences of growing up under public scrutiny, expressing that she now perceives mistakes as something others can relate to, rather than as embarrassing moments.

Gauff gained widespread attention after defeating Venus Williams in the first round of the 2019 Wimbledon Championships at the young age of 15. This victory positioned her as one of the most prominent teenage tennis players, seen as a torchbearer for American tennis following the Williams sisters.

By the age of 18, she reached her first Grand Slam final at the 2022 French Open, becoming a leading face in women’s tennis. This increased the focus on her performance and personality. As she prepares to defend her title at the 2026 French Open, Gauff reflected on how she deals with the ongoing public attention.

“I also think it’s not a bad thing because maybe some other people can see themselves in me & realize that we’re not all perfect,” Gauff said. “Well, the best thing I think… I mean, sometimes you get some perps and stuff, like people recognize you and things like that. The worst thing I think is, you know, you make mistakes when you grow up.. So all your mistakes are kinda shown. I also think it’s not a bad thing because maybe some other people can see themselves in me and realize that we’re not all perfect and we all gotta learn.”

Coco Gauff is set to compete against fellow American Taylor Townsend in her opening match at the 2026 Roland Garros Tournament.

Coco Gauff reflects on her French Open final against Iga Swiatek and Aryna Sabalenka

Coco Gauff of the United States during the 2026 French Open Tennis Tournament in Paris. (Photo by Getty Images)

Coco Gauff talked about her experiences in the French Open final matches against Iga Swiatek and Aryna Sabalenka. She faced Swiatek in 2022, where she lost 1–6, 3–6. Gauff admitted to being extremely nervous in that match and recalled her determination during the trophy ceremony to avoid such disappointment again. In her match against Sabalenka, she was taken aback by the crowd’s strong support for her.

“Against Iga, honestly, I don’t remember much of that experience because I was so nervous,” Gauff said. “I literally couldn’t play that final. I just remember in the trophy ceremony thinking I never want to lose a match like this again.”

“Against Aryna, I was surprised the crowd was heavily for me. I didn’t know what the crowd would be like in that final last year. I was mostly just surprised by that. And Spike Lee was right next to my towel box, so that was pretty cool.” (via tennisuptodate.com)

Coco Gauff emerged victorious against Sabalenka with scores of 6–7, 6–2, 6–4.