Coco Gauff’s father Corey reveals reason behind his absence from stadium during American’s French Open final

Corey Gauff Explains Absence from Stands During Coco’s French Open 2025 Final

Corey Gauff, father and former coach of Coco Gauff, was notably absent from the player’s box during her 6-7(5), 6-2, 6-4 victory over Aryna Sabalenka in the French Open 2025 women’s final on June 7. In an interview with Bleacher Report’s YouTube channel, Corey revealed he prefers to watch matches discreetly, saying, “I kinda move around behind the scenes. I try to find a quiet corner where I can look at it on my iPad, and then I make notes and sometimes I’m texting her, and texting the coaches if I see something I think they can’t see.”

Coco has previously explained that Corey’s emotional reactions, described as “taking a lot of bullets” during practice, can be distracting. At the 2024 Australian Open, she noted, “My dad doesn’t give the best reactions in the box. Sometimes when I lose a point, the first thing I look at is the box, and there’s something more reassuring seeing somebody clapping,” per Sportskeeda. Since Wimbledon 2023, where Corey last sat in her box, Coco has preferred her mother, Candi, in the stands for her calmer presence, a decision that has coincided with her US Open 2023 and French Open 2025 titles. Rennae Stubbs confirmed Corey was at Roland Garros, likely in the transportation area watching on TV, “not relaxed,” per X.

Corey’s absence reflects a mutual agreement to optimize Coco’s focus, with Candi’s supportive presence in the box proving effective, as seen in her emotional cheering during the final, per CNN.