Coco Gauff’s whirlwind summer continued with a dominant first-round victory at the US Open, where she showcased her new signature shoe and a special Olympic necklace.
The 19-year-old, who became the youngest player to reach a Grand Slam final at the 2022 French Open, has been enjoying a surreal few months. She has graced the cover of a tennis video game, landed on a Wheaties cereal box, and been selected as Team USA’s flag bearer alongside LeBron James at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
At her New Balance Coco CG2 launch party, Gauff was surprised by a performance from artist Jaden Smith, who sang his hit song “Icon.” Gauff, who often listens to the song before matches, was thrilled to see him perform it live.
On Monday, Gauff put her off-court excitement aside and returned to business on the court. She dispatched Varvara Gracheva in straight sets, dropping just two games in a 66-minute match.
Gauff’s custom New Balance kit for the US Open featured a cornflower blue dress with strategic cutouts and a pleated skirt. She completed the look with her new Coco CG2 shoes in the launch colorway of Power and Grace.
After the match, Gauff revealed a new white-gold necklace featuring the Olympic rings, a gift from Desirae Krawczyk to the Olympic tennis team. “I was like, I just came off the Olympics and was a flag bearer. So I might as well flex that,” Gauff said.
Gauff will face Tatjana Maria in the second round on Wednesday. The German defeated Argentine qualifier Solana Sierra in straight sets to advance.
