American teenage star Coco Gauff’s career is on an upward trajectory. Gauff has well and truly left her Wimbledon woes behind her and she looks like a new player. Quite literally too, because Gauff has been sporting a new hairdo of late.
Gauff’s box braids had become an integral part of her identity ever since she debuted at Wimbledon four years ago. However, the teenager has finally switched up her hairstyle.
Since the Mubadala Citi Open, Gauff has been seen wearing cornrows that can be tied into a bun. Since winning her first WTA title on home soil, she admitted she wanted to try something new with her hairstyle. “I wanted to try this and I got tired of braids all the time,” said Gauff in a press conference (via Tennis.com).
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She added that she had tried to dye her hair to go with the braids in the past. In the end, she wanted a fresh new look for herself.
Gauff added that she would stick to this new look till the end of the US Open. But once she is back to touring in Europe, the braids will return since they are easier to maintain.
It’s a new beginning for Coco Gauff, in more ways than one
Coco Gauff’s transformation has not only been limited to her hairstyle though. The teenager overhauled her team management and their efforts are starting to pay off.
Gauff played without a coach throughout the clay season. She then hired Pere Riba before Wimbledon began. The Spaniard was Zheng Qinwen’s coach and even helped her book a spot in the top 30 WTA rankings.
Coco also drafted Brad Gilbert into her team. Gilbert was Andre Agassi’s coach. Under his tutelage, Agassi won six out of his eight career Grand Slams.
With Gilbert and Riba on her team, Gauff’s playing style showed a lot of improvement. She also won the Mubadala Citi Open without dropping a single set throughout the tournament. Gauff defeated three top 20 players en route to the title in Washington.
Twirling to the title 🏆 @CocoGauff | #MubadalaCitiDCOpen pic.twitter.com/5l9xrEhVFp
— Mubadala Citi DC Open (@mubadalacitidc) August 6, 2023
The teen acknowledged the improvements in her forehand, serve, and attitude for the title win. Gilbert, however, revealed that they have not worked on her forehand yet. He did, however, add that he implemented some changes in her style on the go, which made a big difference in her game.
So can Coco Gauff, sporting a new look and a new team, do well in the US Open? The teenager will surely hope so, as will fans, who want to watch her succeed. Even though she faced defeat against Jessica Pegula at Canadian Open recently, Gauff is a charming player on the rise and is a treat to watch.