At just 21, Coco Gauff stands at the pinnacle of women’s tennis, wielding a world No. 2 ranking and two Grand Slam titles, yet her gaze is already fixed on a horizon far beyond the baselines of Wimbledon’s hallowed grass courts. As she prepares for the 2025 Championships, where she’s seeded No. 2 and faces Ukraine’s Dayana Yastremska in the first round on July 1, Gauff is not only chasing her first Wimbledon title but also laying the groundwork for a future outside the sport. Her candid reflections on retirement and her burgeoning business ambitions reveal a young star whose vision extends well beyond her racket, blending athletic excellence with a strategic plan for life after tennis.
Gauff’s journey to this point has been nothing short of meteoric. Bursting onto the scene at 15, she stunned the tennis world by defeating Venus Williams at Wimbledon 2019, becoming the youngest player to qualify for the main draw in the Open Era. Since then, she’s amassed 10 WTA singles titles, including the 2023 US Open and 2025 French Open, and nine doubles titles, with a career-high No. 1 ranking in doubles. Her recent triumph at the 2024 WTA Finals in Riyadh, where she pocketed a record-breaking $4.8 million, cemented her as the highest-paid female athlete of 2024, earning over $30 million, largely through endorsements with brands like UPS, New Balance, Rolex, and Barilla. Yet, despite her dominance, Gauff has never advanced past the fourth round at Wimbledon, a barrier she’s determined to break this year. “I’m always looking ahead,” she said after her French Open win, “so I am ready to get back and start training for Wimbledon and try to pull that off.”
While Gauff’s passion for tennis burns bright, her foresight sets her apart. “It’s definitely something that I want to start to step up for post-career,” she said, discussing her plans to transition into the business world. “Kind of start building that process, which is why I wanted to do it early. Because I didn’t want to feel like I was playing catch-up at the end of my career.” This proactive approach stems from her desire to keep her mind engaged beyond the court. “On the business side of things, it doesn’t come as natural as tennis feels. I’m still learning, and I have a lot to learn about,” she admitted. “I’ve debated different things and what paths I wanted to take when it came to just stimulating my brain outside of the court, because I always knew that once I finished high school that I needed to put my brain into something else.”
Her entrepreneurial journey is already underway. Gauff recently launched her own management firm, a bold step toward shaping her post-tennis legacy. In a recent UPS campaign, she collaborated with business coach Emma Grede, known for her work with Kim Kardashian’s Skims and Khloe Kardashian’s Good American. The initiative saw Gauff mentoring three small-business owners, a role that resonated deeply with her. “It’s really cool to learn from someone like her,” she said of Grede. “Whenever I feel like I’m ready to make that leap, I can definitely reach out to her for advice and things like that. This will help me right now and definitely in the long term.” Betsy Wilson, UPS’s vice president of digital marketing, praised Gauff’s influence, noting, “Coco plays a key role in helping us connect with those younger Gen-Z business owners—emerging or younger entrepreneurs. Obviously, she’s very relevant in social media and in culture.”
Gauff’s maturity extends beyond her business ventures. She’s vocal about societal issues, connecting with fans through social media and using her platform to advocate for change, a passion she’s nurtured since her teens. “My generation has just decided it was time to speak up on our own about things,” she said in 2019, reflecting on her role as more than just a tennis player. Her commitment to longevity in tennis also shapes her retirement philosophy. “The most important thing is not to be physically burnt out,” she emphasized earlier this year. “When it’s time to retire, I want it to be on my terms and not due to an injury or anything like that.” This mindset, instilled by her parents—her mother a former track athlete and her father a basketball player—prioritizes sustainability over fleeting glory. “My dad always said, ‘the ranking will come with the Slams,’” she recalled, focusing on legacy over short-term rankings.
As Wimbledon 2025 kicks off, Gauff carries the weight of expectations but also the confidence of a champion. Her clay-court success, including a French Open title, contrasts with the challenges of grass, where her forehand struggles, as noted by Andy Roddick, who doubts she’ll reach the quarterfinals. Yet, Gauff’s resilience—honed through a career that includes a 2021 US Open doubles final and a 2022 French Open singles final—suggests she’s ready to defy skeptics. Whether she conquers Wimbledon or not, Gauff’s legacy is already taking shape, both as a tennis titan and a future business mogul, proving that at 21, she’s not just playing the game—she’s redefining it.
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