“If we continue to invest in women’s sports, then it will profit almost the same as the men, and garner equal pay” – Gauff

The American returns to action against Elisabetta Cocciaretto in the second round in Dubai today

Coco Gauff at the 2024 Australian Open

February 20, 2024

US Open champion Coco Gauff is still only 19 but that hasn’t stopped her from expressing her views on issues she feels strongly about. The American was among the tennis players at the forefront during the Black Lives Matter movement and also encouraged people to vote during the American elections.

Gauff, who is currently ranked No 3 in the world, discussed her thoughts on the pay gap between men’s and women’s sports. Acknowledging that the pay gap situation has improved over the past few years in favour of the women. she called for more investments to be made in women’s sports to continue to address the issue.

“For me, I think the biggest thing is that in most sports in the world, people watch the men’s game more than the women’s. I think we continue to bring fans. The problem is also that we have to market women’s sports better, market ourselves better,” Gauff said in Dubai, as quoted by the Khaleej Times. The American is competing at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships this week.

“(Over) the past couple years, I feel like the marketing for women’s sports has been invested more in, and therefore there’s been more watch-ability for people. If we continue to invest in women’s sports, then it will profit almost the same as the men, and garner equal pay. I’m grateful for (tennis). On most tournaments on the tour, the Grand Slams obviously, we have equal pay. Hopefully tennis can be the leader of that and fiddle down into other sports, as well.”

“In the past because when I lose, I usually dwell on it too long” – Gauff on her early loss in Doha

Gauff will play Italy’s Elisabetta Cocciaretto in the second round in Dubai today and will be hoping to put the disappointing early loss to Katerina Siniakova in Doha last week, which she put down to having a bad day at work.

“I lost in Doha, but the next day I did a desert excursion, which is something that I would never have done in the past because when I lose, I usually dwell on it too long,” Gauff said. “I think that can be mentally tolling. You do lose a lot. You lose more than you win, especially in tennis. For me, I’ve been just trying to enjoy the other aspects in life, other than that. Just listening to your body, listening to your mind. If you feel like you need to miss a tournament, miss it. For me, I’ll always try to play as much as I can while being healthy.”