Coco Gauff rated as the highest-earning female athlete in the world for 2023 – raking in an estimated $22.7 million income of which $16 million came from endorsements.
The 20-year-old Delray Beach icon had added to her original New Balance deal with marketing sponsorships from Ray Ban’s smart glasses, Bose, UPS, Barilla and Baker Tilly.
Her agent, Tony Godsick, who lives in Delray Beach and handled Roger Federer’s business affairs, has done well.
Hence, expectations are high no matter what tournament Coco plays, especially after she won her first major, the U.S. Open last September.
While Gauff advanced to the semifinals of 2024’s first two majors at the Australian Open and French Open, Gauff’s journey in Wimbledon had another bitter ending Sunday at the All-England Club in the fourth round.
It was ugly all around in the 6-4, 6-3 straight-set rout to 19th seed Emma Navarro, playing raggedly, muffing a few easy balls and seen angrily pleading with her coach’s box for assistance during a changeover.
Gauff could be heard on the oncourt microphone beseeching her famous coach, Brad Gilbert, “Tell me something!’ Coco screamed. “You guys aren’t saying anything!” Gilbert looked bewildered. No coach likes being shown up.
Coco Gauff Post Match Interview at Wimbledon
Afterward, Gauff tried to downplay the loss and her alarming streak at Wimbledon of never getting to the quarterfinals. Last Wimbledon, she lost in the first round with some experts feeling she needs to shorten her forehand backswing on the fast-playing grass. This year, Coco came in as the second seed – a career-high.
Afterward, Gauff went on a long rant, saying “fans of the game are a little disrespectful” in not realizing how many stellar players are on the tour.
“I’ve played so many Slams where anybody can win,’’ Gauff said. “The seed is just a number, just an advantage so you don’t play another seed first round. That doesn’t mean you can’t lose., as we’ve seen a lot of seeds drop out. We’ve seen defending champions drop out.
“Even though the (unseeded) players may not be as known, they’re so talented,’’ Gauff added. “ That’s something that fans of the game are a little bit disrespectful when it comes to other players on tour. Maybe their ranking isn’t there but the level is there.
“They’re here for a reason. They deserve their spot. There’s no easy draw. There’s no cakewalk.’’
Emma Navarro Wimbledon Upset
Gauff was being respectful in saluting her fellow tour colleagues. And she’s right. The women’s draw has never been deeper.
But the flip side was Coco not taking ownership for losing to a player she should beat on a big stage. Gauff made 25 unforced errors and got in just 57 percent of her first serves. That had nothing to do with Navarro. ‘
An argument can be made it’s “a little disrespectful’’ to those lower-ranked players that Coco can make so many millions of dollars more in endorsements than them.
The draw was opening up for Gauff, too, with stalwart Madison Keys losing also in the Round of 16. Keys would’ve been Coco’s next opponent in the quarterfinals.
In addition, Gauff’s all-time nemesis, Iga Swiatek, who beat her at the French Open, was upset in the third round. They would’ve been on target for The Finals.
Coco Gauff Coaching Team
The loss would’ve been easier to swallow perhaps if not for her theatrics with the coach’s box. Is there trouble in Gilbert Paradise?
At the French Open, Gauff was brought to tears amidst a game vs. Swiatek in the semifinals when a chair umpire’s overrule went against her. Coco was wronged during that episode and rightly reamed out the chair umpire, but crying on the court wasn’t the best look.
Gilbert was hired a year ago and given tremendous credit for Coco’s rise in the late summer, sweeping through the US hardcourt season and then becoming queen of Flushing Meadows.
“We had a game plan going in,’’ Gauff said at her post-loss press conference. “I felt that it wasn’t working. I don’t always ask for advice on the box. Today was one of those rare moments where I felt I didn’t have solutions.”
“I definitely have to learn from today because it’s not going to be the first or last time that a player plays a great match against me, and I have to figure out when those moments happen how to raise my level.”
Gauff, who has a boyfriend she has not been willing to disclose, added, “I don’t want to say I didn’t have any (solutions), because I think I’m capable of coming up with some. Today, mentally, there was a lot going on. I felt like I wanted more direction.”
Coco Gauff Wimbledon Doubles
Coco still has doubles left with her Boca Raton neighbor Jessica Pegula, who crashed out in singles in the second round to Wang Xinyu.
But in her press conference, Coco admitted she wasn’t too focused on winning the doubles title here with the Paris Olympics looming. Because of a neck/rib injuries to Pegula, the two friends haven’t played much together in 2024.
Gauff and Pegula, who moved to Boca Raton when she was 13, defeated Italy’s Jasmine Paolini and Sara Errani of Italy on Monday. Gauff and Pegula will pair up in Paris, too, next month.
“Honestly, my mind is on the Olympics,’’ Coco said. ‘Especially in doubles, I would say I’m looking at the Olympics. I’m looking at us as a team and how can we improve to be a good contender for a medal in the Olympics because we haven’t played that much this year.’’
After the Olympics, defending her title at the US Open awaits. A year ago, she skyrocketed from her Wimbledon debacle. Gauff, a hyped tennis phenom since she was 15 years old, will have to do so again.
