When it comes to ideas, don’t be scared to be unrealistic.Coco Gauff, a tennis star, gave this advise.”I believe deluded is fantastic,” Gauff tells Forbes. “All of the best athletes and artists must have a certain level of madness and illusion. Having a little crazy in your objective is somewhat good.”Ranked second in the world by the Women’s Tennis Association, Gauff, 20, is taking her own advice she expands a business enterprise beyond tennis. Gauff discussed her portfolio while preparing for Wimbledon, where she advanced to the third round of the tournament before being ousted on Sunday by 19th-seeded Emma Navarro. The loss comes after Gauff partnered with 27th-ranked Katerina Siniakova to win the women’s doubles at the French Open in June. The win netted her roughly $641,000. After Wimbledon, Gauff will play in the Paris Olympics then defend her US Open women’s singles championship in New York. Forbes estimates Gauff made $21.7 million in 2023. That ranks third among the highest-paid female athletes. In between tennis, Gauff has other business to handle.
aimed to elevate small enterprises. Entitled, Coco vs. The Doubters, the promotion showcases Generation Z entrepreneurs who overcome the daunting odds of managing a thriving firm. UPS trades on the New York Stock Exchange with a $117 billion market value.“I realized a lot of (negative) things that are told to small business owners are also told to athletes,” Gauff says. Of her earnings, Gauff made $15 million off the court in 2023, Forbes estimates. She has deals with companies including: New Balance Bose Carol’s Daughter Naked smoothies “I like to partner with things that are an extension of myself,” Gauff says. Establishing A ‘Timeless’ Empire Raised in Atlanta, Gauff started playing tennis early in her childhood, turned professional at age 14, and quickly offered a stunning moment in the sport when she upset Venus Williams in the first round of the 2019 Wimbledon Championships. Last year, Gauff won her first Grand Slam title when she captured the US Open.
Naturally, her win drew business partners, who flooded her with offers, which Gauff largely turned down. Instead, she limits brand partnerships to avoid burnout.
“Tennis is my focus,” Gauff declares. “Whatever interferes with that must go.”
But Gauff understands that more wins will result in greater revenue. When asked how she wanted to leave a legacy off the court, Gauff referenced the 2008 Wimbledon championship.
Gauff recalls how tennis legend Roger Federer’s attire during the competition stood out. Before his bouts, Federer donned an extra creamy Cardigan jumper with dark gold accents that ran from the collar to the shirt’s bottom button. The audacious fashion statement astounded the London crowd. More importantly, it represents how Gauff intends to create her business after tennis.
“That’s one of those classic pieces,” Gauff says of Federer’s outfit. “It will always be iconic, regardless of who looks at it or their age. – “I want to ensure that the things I do, both on and off the court, seem ageless.”
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