Serena Williams and Coco Gauff Serve Fashion Goals as They Exude Tennis Royalty at the Oscars Vanity Fair Party
What’s it like to stand next to your hero? Coco Gauff found out at the 2025 Oscars, posing with Serena Williams, the GOAT she’s adored since childhood. Their bond stretches back over a decade—Gauff, then 9 or 10, played a young Serena in a Delta ad, a thrill for a girl idolizing the 23-time Grand Slam champ. At Hollywood’s grandest event, they reunited in style.
Gauff sparkled in a custom yellow Miu Miu gown with crystal embroidery and dangling earrings, later switching to a vibrant yellow-and-green dress for the Vanity Fair After Party. Williams turned heads in a sleeveless, sequined black Dolce & Gabbana gown with a thigh-high slit, accented by a black stone necklace. They beamed together at the after party, a moment Gauff shared on her Instagram Story.
Beyond the glamour, the night held deeper meaning for Gauff. Serena inspired her tennis destiny—her father, Corey, sparked Coco’s journey after watching Williams win the 2011 Australian Open when she was five. At the 2023 US Open media day, Gauff honored her: “Before Serena, no icon looked like me. I never felt different because the No. 1 player did.”
Now 21, Gauff echoes Williams’ legacy, matching feats like the 2023 US Open win—the first American teen to claim it since Serena in 1999—and the 2024 WTA Finals, a title Williams last won in 2014.
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The photo with Serena carried weight, but after the Hollywood dazzle, Gauff refocused on tennis.
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Gauff kicked off 2025 strong, leading Team USA to United Cup glory, but hit turbulence. She fell to Paula Badosa in the Australian Open quarterfinals, then crashed out early in Qatar to Marta Kostyuk and in Dubai to McCartney Kessler. On a rare three-match skid, the World No. 3 eyes Indian Wells.
Undeterred, Gauff kept tennis front-of-mind even on the Oscars carpet. “It was overwhelming, not my norm, but so cool to step out of sports. I’ve got sneakers ready for tomorrow,” she said. Recently spotted training at UCLA, she posted an all-pink workout look on Instagram Stories, captioning it, “lol just like that, back to tennis.”
Indian Wells starts March 6. Last year, Gauff reached the semis, only to lose a gritty three-setter to Maria Sakkari. Can the 21-year-old shake off the slump and reclaim her winning form?
