In 2019, during an interview with the New York Times, Coco Gauff spoke about her pre-match rituals. She said, “Before every match since I was 8, my dad and I say a prayer together.” Talking about prayers, well, it’s not just about victories all the time. She revealed that it’s more about keeping her and her opponent in safe hands. Gauff has always been a devout Christian, attending the Saint John Missionary Baptist Church regularly. In fact, she’s also a member of the choir there and has previously mentioned how her faith is an important part of her life. During a recent interview with Vogue, Gauff was yet again spotted opening up on her religious side and how it’s much greater than her tennis. What did she say exactly?
Talking about her faith, just a month prior to her Grand Slam triumph at Flushing Meadows in 2023, when she won the Cincinnati Masters, Gauff said, “I’d like to thank my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. It’s been a lot of nights alone, crying, trying to figure it out. And you know, I still have a lot to figure out. But you know, I thank Him for covering me.” Even after winning the US Open, she was seen reflecting on her previous Slam final (2022 French Open) where she lost to Iga Swiatek by stating, “That French Open loss was a heartbreak. I realized God puts you through trials. This makes this moment even sweeter than I could imagine.”
Like this, her religious side has taken center stage on multiple occasions. On April 23, the 21-year-old American tennis star who recently stole the limelight with her latest New Balance x Miu Miu collaboration gave an interview with Vogue.
Even during that interview, she was seen discussing a few things about her faith in her religion. “Sometimes you also feel like your whole identity is tied to your results. But the more focused I am on faith, too, I realize I’m much more than my sport. It’s something that makes me thankful–if I don’t win another tennis match ever again, I still have a lot outside of it to look forward to.“
In August last year, she revealed how she regularly reads the ‘Bible’ and reverently practices scripting down her feelings to compartmentalize them and channel them in a spiritual direction for better insight. “I have two journals, I read the bible every day. Then I have a personal one where I just write usually the night before I play. It’s something I’ve always done, but just do it more frequently because it holds you accountable for your feelings and your thoughts.” After that, on December 8, she was even seen visiting a church alongside her mother and grandmother and also giving a pose in front of a Christmas tree.
How did this religious side of her help her teach some valuable lessons in her life? In January 2025, she spoke about how she has learned to become more grounded, despite being one of the highest-paid women athletes in the world. “Well, I definitely think my community I grew up in D Beach, and you know I’ve been involved in my community volunteering. Actually, my grandma sent me one of my volunteer cards when I was like 10 years old, and like I grew up in the church. So I think when you just grown up in the community like that, you have no choice but to keep it grounded.“
She credits her faith with helping her refocus after challenging situations, emphasizing the importance of prayer and community support. It has helped her navigate all the negativities in her life. Talking about negativities, Coco Gauff has been receiving a lot of criticism recently due to her poor performances. What’s her reaction to that, though?
“Results don’t always happen right away” – Coco Gauff showcases optimism about her improvement
Coco Gauff‘s serve continues to be her Achilles’ heel! Before the Stuttgart Open, she hit 121 double faults in her 18 matches – the most on the WTA Tour in the 2025 season so far. Even during her QF match against Jasmine Paolini in Stuttgart, she was spotted struggling a bit with her serves, and she failed to capitalize on the biggest moments of the match. Serving a 5-4 in the opening set, two untimely double faults gifted the Italian the momentum. After seeing her constant struggles, Gauff faced a lot of criticism from the tennis world.
Reacting to her struggles with serving during her interview with Vogue, she said, “When you’re changing things, results don’t always happen right away. I’m trying to serve better. I’m trying to return serve better. It’s tough to find the timing, but you have to accept that you’re not going to get it right right away–and that eventually, everything will come.” She also claimed, “I’m definitely someone who strives for perfection. And it’s something that I’ve been working on.“
Later today, Coco Gauff will face Ukraine’s Dayana Yastremska in the R64 of the Madrid Open. Can Gauff impress her fans with a stellar performance on clay? Well, according to Serena Williams’ ex-coach, Rick Macci, “Coco will be fine. You never lose talent/ athletic ability. This is a journey of winning/ losing staggers/ daggers.” He also issued a warning sign for her rivals as she believes Gauff is far from finished! With a 2-0 record over the Ukrainian, do you feel Gauff can make it three out of three with a winning start at the Spanish capital?
The post ‘Much More Than My Sport’- Coco Gauff Unveils Her Religious Side as She Opens Up on Life Beyond Tennis appeared first on EssentiallySports.