Coco Gauff, the world No. 2 and reigning French Open champion, found herself with an unexpected day off at the 2025 Cincinnati Open when her third-round opponent, Dayana Yastremska, withdrew due to illness just hours before their scheduled match. Rather than dwell on the missed opportunity for a rematch with the Ukrainian who stunned her at Wimbledon, Gauff embraced the moment, heading to Great American Ball Park to experience her first-ever Cincinnati Reds baseball game. The 21-year-old’s visit to the Reds’ clash against the Philadelphia Phillies on August 12, 2025, sparked a social media frenzy, with fans and even former Reds pitcher Rob Dibble cheering her on. “Put her in the lineup!” Dibble exclaimed, capturing the excitement of Gauff’s crossover into baseball fandom.
The walkover propelled Gauff into the Cincinnati Open’s round of 16, setting up a clash with Italy’s Lucia Bronzetti, against whom she holds a 2-0 head-to-head edge. The sudden break came at a pivotal moment in Gauff’s season. After a stellar clay-court campaign, highlighted by her Roland Garros title, her grass-court swing faltered with a first-round Wimbledon loss to Yastremska (7-6(3), 6-1) and a round-of-16 exit to Xinyu Wang in Berlin. “I don’t really like losing – I just feel a little bit disappointed in how I showed up,” Gauff admitted after Wimbledon, a defeat that stung but fueled her determination. Her Cincinnati campaign began with a commanding 6-3, 6-2 victory over Wang, avenging her Berlin loss, and she was eager to test her progress against Yastremska. “This match, for me, will be a good measure of where my game is now,” she said pre-tournament, refusing to frame it as revenge. “I thought that Wimbledon match was a tough loss for me and I don’t think I approached it well.”
Yastremska’s withdrawal, attributed to severe illness and the effects of strong antibiotics, left Gauff with a rare moment to breathe during the grueling hard-court swing. “For the past few days, I’ve been taking strong antibiotics, which have caused severe intoxication,” Yastremska explained, noting her heart rate spiked under exertion, forcing her to prioritize recovery for the US Open. Gauff, ever the opportunist, turned the unexpected rest day into a celebration of Cincinnati’s sports culture. “Hey guys, it’s Coco, and I’m excited to be here supporting the Reds. It’s my first Reds baseball game and I’m having a great time,” she shared in a video posted by the Reds’ official account, her infectious enthusiasm lighting up the stands. The Reds welcomed her warmly, tweeting, “Great to have our friends from the Cincinnati Open with us tonight!” Gauff’s Instagram Story, showcasing the game from a spectator’s perspective, further amplified the moment, drawing thousands of likes and comments.
Baseball isn’t new to Gauff’s world—her brother Codey, committed to playing college baseball at Missouri, has long been a rising star in the sport. Growing up in Florida, Gauff was exposed to multiple sports, a choice her parents encouraged. “My parents always never wanted me to specify in a sport,” she once said, recalling her days in basketball and track before focusing on tennis at 13. Her love for sports beyond tennis shone through in Cincinnati, where she soaked in the electric atmosphere of Great American Ball Park, a venue steeped in the city’s rich baseball history.
Gauff’s Cincinnati experience reflects her ability to balance intense competition with off-court joy. The 2023 Cincinnati champion, who called the tournament a place where she’s “finding herself again,” has embraced the upgraded Lindner Family Tennis Center, praising its renovated locker rooms and unlimited acai bowls. “To see this kind of investment in tennis, especially American tennis in the states, is really cool,” she told Tennis Channel after signing autographs for 40 minutes post-practice, a testament to her bond with Queen City fans. Her 34-11 season record, bolstered by a doubles title in Toronto with McCartney Kessler, positions her as a US Open favorite, where she triumphed in 2023. As she prepares for Bronzetti, Gauff’s Reds detour—complete with her “nitro button” energy—signals a player ready to recharge and roar in New York.
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