Iconic Serena Williams and Roger Federer Eras Inspire Coco Gauff to Revamp Tennis Fashion

A serve in style leaves an enduring mark, much like Suzanne Lenglen’s revolutionary 1920s attire that liberated the sport. Decades later, Serena Williams consistently challenged norms with her powerful on-court fashion, from the iconic 2004 denim skirt and knee-high boots to the Virgil Abloh-designed 2018 tutu. Even on the ATP side, Andre Agassi’s untraditional acid-wash denim shorts, neon spandex, and long hair made a statement. Today, as fashion evolves, Coco Gauff is poised to bring back a unique spotlight to the court. But how?

Gauff has been making waves in fashion since she was 14, serving as a New Balance brand ambassador and launching three signature tennis shoes – CG1, CG2, and now the latest, Delray Coco. New Balance hit an impressive $7.8 billion in global sales in 2024, up 20% from 2023, showing just how much faith they have in her star power.

In a chat with The National on May 12, Gauff opened up about her work with New Balance and Miu Miu, owned by Prada, revealing a match outfit she mostly designed herself. “I feel like fashion, especially in Gen Z, is very important now,” she said. “With TikTok trends and all of that. So, I feel like trying to bring that fashion to tennis can bring more people who maybe never heard of the sport, or heard of it but never knew any players other than Serena or Roger.” With 1.8 million Instagram followers and 800,000 on TikTok, her influence keeps growing.

Fun Fact: In 2014, Roger Federer and basketball icon Michael Jordan collaborated on the NikeCourt Zoom Vapor RF x Air Jordan 3, a highly coveted cross-sport sneaker. Then, in 2018, Serena Williams partnered with Virgil Abloh’s Off-White and Nike for the “Queen” Collection- an artistic homage to her dominance and style. Now, Coco’s taking the charge with her own collaboration!

She’s turning heads at the Italian Open with her brand-new New Balance x Miu Miu collab kit. She’s rocking a sleek navy and white outfit with bold red accents, marking a fresh fusion of sport and high fashion. This ambitious partnership, which kicked off late last year, is already making waves as Coco debuts the co-branded apparel and a reimagined version of her signature CG2 shoe on the clay courts of Rome.

As she told The National, “So just getting them to know more niche players. That’s, I feel like, my job on the court. And obviously, just doing the best I can. But I like to dress up. So I’m just trying to bring what I’m interested in and hoping other people will be interested as well.”

This collaboration is a major milestone for Coco. Though she’s been proudly wearing New Balance on court for years and representing Miu Miu off court, like at the Oscars last month. This is her first time showcasing the combined brand during competition. After Rome, she’ll bring the collection to Berlin (June 14–22) and Cincinnati (August 5–28), each with unique colorways inspired by the tournaments: navy/white/red in Rome, white/green/sky blue in Berlin, and white/royal blue/red in Cincinnati.

Talking about the partnership during the Madrid Open, Coco shared, “It was really exciting. Obviously Miu Miu and New Balance had a long-time relationship, and New Balance and I had a long-time relationship, so that’s allowing me to align with this collab, it’s pretty cool, and Miu Miu dressed me for the Oscars, so continuing that relationship on court.” She described the outfit selection as “really fun,” aiming for a look that’s “very classy, very timeless” but with a youthful twist for Rome.

Off the court, Coco is upping her game too. She recently left Team 8 to launch her own venture, Coco Gauff Enterprises. Forbes named her the highest-paid female athlete of 2024, earning $34.4 million, with $25 million from endorsements and off-court deals. Her goal? To follow tennis legends like Serena Williams and become a true fashion icon in the sport. But what led her to make an agency change?

Coco opens up about what her new agency means to her

Last month, Coco Gauff just took a bold leap by launching her own management company, Coco Gauff Enterprises, powered by WME. She shared the news on Instagram with a bright post saying, “New beginnings!! I’m thrilled to announce the launch of Coco Gauff Enterprises, powered by @WME.” She explained that this new venture lets her take more control over her career and create opportunities beyond tennis as she grows as an athlete, entrepreneur, and changemaker.

After parting ways with Team8- the agency she’s been with since age 13 and co-founded by Roger Federer and Tony Godsick-Gauff made it clear at a May 6 press conference that this won’t shake up her tennis focus anytime soon. “I would say not in the near future, but I mean as far as like tennis wise and life-wise, no, it won’t change anything.”

She said the real reason behind the move is to build something for life after tennis. “It’s something that I wanted to build just for like post career. I’ve always been passionate about other things since before I was pro and you know I have the opportunity to pursue those passions.”

Right now, tennis remains her top priority. The World No. 2 is gearing up for the Italian Open quarterfinals against rising star Mirra Andreeva. Coco leads their head-to-head 3-0 and last faced her at the Madrid Open quarterfinals. Will she deliver yet another upset against the Russian and make it to the semis in style? Let us know what you think in the comments below!

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