Coco Gauff, for sure, knows how to keep fans on their toes. “Keep your eyes out for something that may or may not be coming out later,” she teased during the BNP Paribas Open. And what did she deliver? The Coco Delra – her brand-new signature NB shoe, dropped right on her 21st birthday: talk about perfect timing! The launch, however, was made even more special with a heartfelt ad featuring her grandmother Yvonne Lee Odom, which quickly caught the attention of the fans. But Coco has now put the spotlight on the mastermind behind the design, – a living legend who just might be following in her footsteps with his own NB collab soon.
Coco Gauff’s 21st birthday (13th March) was marked by the launch of her latest signature sneaker with NB. While maintaining the high-performance DNA of her Coco CG2, the Coco Delray is designed for both casual play and off-court wear. Available in two sleek colorways, white with navy and an off-white Parchment with aqua and navy accents, this new low-top model embodies the former US Open champion’s vision of making the sport more accessible by offering cutting-edge footwear for players of all skill levels.
A significant campaign accompanied the launch, presenting tennis as a multifaceted pursuit; the narration was provided by Gauff’s grandmother, Yvonne Lee Odom, herself a trailblazer as the first Black student to integrate Delray Beach public schools. Now focused on the Miami Open, Coco Gauff expressed gratitude to Joe Freshgoods, the designer of her attire, suggesting a potential parallel in their respective careers.
At a recent event, a clip of which was shared on the IG page of Sole Retriever, the current third seed sat down for a conversation with Joe Robinson, better known as Joe Freshgoods – the creative mind behind the Coco Delray. During their chat, Joe dropped a cryptic yet exciting hint, saying, “So let me just say it, a fun fact, I am in the process of making my own shoe. But I think I’m gonna call it the neighborhood I’m from. I got it from you,” sparking curiosity about what’s next.
While Mr. Robinson expressed his aspirations, Coco couldn’t help but shower him with praise, admiring his creativity and vision in bringing the new sneaker to life.
“If you don’t know Joe, Joe is an incredible creative visionary. He has done wonders at NB. He has broken records with his shoe JoeFreshGoods. If you don’t know him, you should know him. First I wanna thank you publicly, I have privately, but thank you for this project, I think three or four days before, it started to shooting and completely it around and I’m very proud and very honored that you did that,” Coco said.
Hailing him as a living legend, Coco formally acknowledged Robinson’s achievements, “So you guys don’t know him but he’s literally a living legend in the sneakers community, and if you don’t know him I think you really should look him up as he makes probably in my opinion NB’s best shoes,”
Even while sharing a glimpse of her birthday celebrations on her IG stories on March 13, Coco gave fans a peek into the festive decorations while expressing her excitement about the special day. Reflecting on the perfect timing of her latest sneaker drop, the 9-time WTA singles winner wrote, “I get to launch a new shoe on my birthday?! 21 is pretty cool already.”
While her footwear line enjoys international acclaim, she is concurrently preparing for the second phase of the Sunshine Double – the Miami Open
“Something personally wrong with me” —Coco Gauff addresses criticism ahead of Miami Open
The former US champion Coco Gauff may be facing a rocky start to the new season, but she’s far from fazed! Despite ending 2024 on a high, the young star has struggled with consistency, bowing out early in multiple events and suffering three straight losses at the Australian Open, Qatar, and Dubai. At the recently concluded Indian Wells, she looked strong until an R16 exit against the tennis mom on tour Belinda Bencic.
Amid the setbacks, the Florida native addressed the criticism directly, emphasizing her focus on what lies ahead. “Sometimes when I don’t do well, people think there’s something personally wrong with me. I’m like, ‘I just lost a couple of matches! I’m chillin’. Obviously not happy with those past results, but it’s one of those things that, in the history of my career, I’ve had ups and downs. I still feel like I have a couple more years … (to reach) that point where every week is a great week, I guess,” said Gauff, who is based not far from where the Miami Open is played. “I’m also in the middle of changes in my game; it’s been difficult,” Coco said on the eve of the Miami Open.
The American No. 1 will next play her compatriot and former Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin, whom she recently overcame in the opening round of the Australian Open. With their H2H record tied at 2-2, can Gauff secure another win against Kenin and make a deep run at the Miami Open? What do you think?
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