Coco Gauff and Venus Williams spend Christmas Eve at Cowboys vs. Dolphins NFL game

On Christmas Eve, Coco Gauff, Venus Williams, and Reilly Opelka were spotted on the sidelines of the Miami Dolphins vs. Dallas Cowboys game. The Dolphins were victorious against the visiting Cowboys. With the victory, the AFC East-leading Dolphins advanced to 11-5 and earned a playoff berth.

The Dolphins seem to be popular among WTA players. A few days ago, Sloane Stephens tagged the Dolphins on a recent training video where she was throwing the football on the tennis court.

Gauff will not be sticking around to see much more of the Dolphins season. She is soon headed to Australia to prepare for the 2024 Australian Open beginning in mid-January. Gauff's best results in Melbourne are fourth-round finishes in 2020 and 2023, but the 2023 US Open champion enters the 2024 season at World No. 3 and with the pressure of winning a maiden Grand Slam in the rearview mirror.

What are Venus Williams and Reilly Opelka's plans?

With Gauff's plans well-known, this begs the question of what Venus Williams' plans are for the 2024 tennis season. The 43-year-old is not in the mix for a wildcard in Australia. It is unclear when she will play again, but she does not have any intention of retiring. There has been speculation that she could return to the court at Indian Wells in March. Williams, along with sister Serena, have been minority owners of the Miami Dolphins since 2009.

At the game, ATP player Reilly Opelka was pictured with his longtime friend Venus Williams. The 7'0" tall Opelka has been sidelined with a hip injury for over a year. During that time, he has been a frequent Tennis Channel analyst. Opelka, like Gauff, will be headed to Australia soon as he is expected to make his comeback in Brisbane beginning December 31.

Opelka, 26, reached a career-high ranking of World No. 17 in February 2022. He has four ATP titles but has never advanced past the third round in the Australian Open.

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