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For American tennis star Coco Gauff, tennis is about more than competing and winning matches.
It’s about helping other kids achieve their own tennis dreams.
On March 19, Gauff, 20, joined the USTA at Pompey Park in Delray Beach, Florida to unveil the park’s newly refurbished public tennis courts that are now dedicated in her name.
In her heartfelt return to her roots at Pompey Park, Gauff told the USTA: “Now, my focus is to continue the growth and also the quality of public tennis courts.”
Coco Gauff’s Legacy at Pompey Park
South Florida native Gauff did not grow up playing tennis at a fancy club. Instead, the tennis sensation has been practicing on the public tennis courts at Pompey Park since she was eight years old, according to her interview with Vogue on March 6, 2024.
But young Coco isn’t the only one with special memories at Pompey Park.
Gauff’s family legacy at Pompey Park extends beyond the tennis courts and onto the baseball field, which was named after Gauff’s grandfather, Eddie.
On the day of the unveiling, Coco’s parents, Corey and Candi, shared with WPBF 25 Sports why this event is meaningful for the Gauff family.
“A legacy that has been generational. My parents did the baseball league and founded it, and their names are on the field and now my daughter is part of the Pompey tennis courts,” Coco’s mother Candi said.
“It’s quite an honor because I literally learned to play tennis on these courts as well,” Coco’s father Corey continued, “Yeah, [Coco] continues to amaze us. She is very grounded, and she’s had a lot of practice with church and doing community events.”
Gauff now carries her personal ties to Pompey Park with her to every tennis match, as her signature shoe, the Coco CG1s, display the park’s coordinates on the sole.
“It’s been on my shoes since the (Coco) CG1 launched, so it’s really special to come back and be able to do something for the community that did a lot for me,” Gauff shared.
Paving the Way for Future Generations
“It’s really special to come back and be able to do something for the community that did a lot for me,” Coco Gauff shared at the event.
According to the USTA Florida, the refurbishment of Pompey Park is just the beginning of the USTA’s broader initiative to renovate public tennis facilities across the country. After Gauff’s US Open triumph, the USTA launched the US Open Legacy Initiative in her honor, earmarking $3 million to upgrade courts at public tennis venues nationwide.
Also at the unveiling event were USTA Chairman, Dr. Brian Hainline, and CEO, Lew Sherr.
“All of us involved in tennis are aware of our sport’s life-enhancing benefits, and we are committed to protecting courts and partnering with others to spur new facility development which will ensure more access for more people in more communities,” Dr. Brian Hainline said.
As young Coco continues to achieve her dreams, she is determined to help other kids achieve their dreams too.
“I strongly believe that tennis can continue to become a more accessible sport, and I would like to thank the USTA for continuing to commit to do so,” Gauff said. “Investing in public parks and our youth is very important. I had a huge dream and this city, my family, my community supported that, and now I’m in the position to help maybe spark that dream in another kid.”
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