Playing to Win: How Coco Gauff is a star both on and off the court

Coco Gauff’s “Play to Win” mentality has shot her up the WTA world rankings but has also put her at the forefront of the Black Lives Matter campaign.

Coco Gauff exploded into the tennis world last year during her improbable Wimbledon 2019 run to the third round. After defeating her idol, Venus Williams, she played arguably the best match of her young career as she came back from a set and 2-5 down to defeat Polona Hercog. She faced two match points at that stage and saved both of them with a skidding backhand and an intense 32-shot rally. After escaping the 7-5 third set, all that could be said was how incredible her performance was. She truly was the story of the year.

Fast forward just over a year later and Gauff has become one of tennis’s most recognizable figures, and for good reason at that. She’s the poster child of the next generation and has already begun to make her way past many of those aged well above. Her straight-sets defeat of Naomi Osaka at this year’s Australian Open proved that she was ready for the bright lights at the biggest stages.

What shows more than anything is Gauff’s outstanding mental toughness. She plays with ferocious freedom that no other player on tour currently has. ‘Playing to win’ is what she calls it. It’s a common trend in athletes, especially those her age, to ‘play not to lose’. Trying not to lose and winning is completely different. Playing to not lose is all about tentativeness. It gives your opponent an even greater edge and allows them to control the point.

Coco Gauff doesn’t do that. She plays to win. She plays on the offensive for the entire match and even more so when she’s almost down and out.

"“I think my mindset just is I’m going to fight,” Gauff says. “If I lose, the world is not going to end. I’m going to have another match in maybe a week or so. I think it’s just less pressure to win. I feel like for me, I’m not trying to win so much but trying to play my best tennis on the court. Winning comes with that if I play good.”"

Gauff’s “play to win” mentality doesn’t stop on the court, either. She’s become one of the primary voices in athletics for the Black Lives Matter campaign that’s taken the world by storm these last few months. She led the way at Delray Beach’s Black Likes Matter rally in July, giving an impassioned speech despite not even being able to vote.

"“I’m not of age to vote, but it’s in your hands to vote for my future, for my brother’s future, and for your future.”"

It’s these powerful words that no one would expect from someone as young as she is. It’s truly incredible to see someone take their off-court duties as a major public figure and use it as she has this summer. Keep in mind, she’s 16 years old, and yet, those decades older than her marvel at her accomplishments.

Evermore marveling was the fact that her speech was completely unplanned. Yet, she stayed cool and calm under pressure and spoke with freedom. She attacked the social issues and went on the offensive to declare change for everyone around her. It all ties back into her mindset of playing to win.

She plays to win on the court but does just as much off of it to warrant the same result: success. Coco Gauff is ushering the next generation of women’s tennis, all the while bringing needed change to her community and her country.