Coco Gauff told reporters she will not be quiet about America’s problems.
At a Dubai press conference the 21-year-old Grand Slam champion linked her willingness to speak to family history and personal conviction, saying that when asked she will answer honestly about violence and protests rather than offering silence for the sake of appearances.
Gauff Speaks Out At Dubai Press Conference
Gauff’s tennis credentials are part of why her words matter: she won the French Open in 2025 and the U.S. Open in 2023, achievements that lifted her profile and make off-court remarks hard to ignore for fans and media alike.
Addressing recent U.S. incidents she said she did not approve of what she has been seeing, explaining she cannot watch headlines and pretend things are fine while people are suffering, and her comment that she does not like what is going on was blunt and public.
In stark language she told reporters she does not believe ‘people should be dying in the streets just for existing,’ a line that cut through the usual sports-media niceties and tied her statements to a broader debate about policing and public safety.
Those remarks followed a wave of unrest after the killings of Alex Pretti and Renee Nicole Good in Minneapolis, and the subsequent protests that included more than 300 ‘ICE Out of Everywhere’ demonstrations on January 30, which have pushed the issue into daily national conversation.
The national debate has not been polite. President Donald Trump has publicly criticised athletes for speaking out and once labelled a U.S. Olympian a ‘real loser’, yet Gauff said that kind of blowback will not deter her from answering relevant questions.
Why She Feels Compelled To Speak
Gauff placed those choices in the context of family influence and lived experience, mentioning her grandmother and telling the room, ‘My grandma is literally an activist,’ which she used to explain why she feels prepared to face tough off-court questions when they arise.
I never feel torn when I’m asked a question.
Coco Gauff
She expanded on that position in the same presser, saying, ‘If you’re asking me, I’m going to tell you how I feel,’ and insisting that answering honestly is part of being relevant in a moment when fans and reporters ask about social and political events.
On-court success gives her a megaphone; Gauff is identified as a two-time Grand Slam champion and listed as world No. 4 in reports, a status that means her voice reaches beyond tennis courts into conversations about civic life and representation.
Peers, Politics, And Public Reaction
Other Team USA athletes have defended the right to speak about homeland events, with Chloe Kim telling media that ‘The US has given my family and I so much opportunity,’ while also insisting athletes may voice opinions and lead conversations with compassion and love.
Gauff has previously used her platform to highlight people who share her background and perspective, dedicating a major title to ‘people that look like me in America’ and calling herself a symbol of hope for those who feel unsupported amid the current tensions.
Whether commentators agree or not, Gauff’s stance is clear: she is proud to be American, but she will not paper over the country’s problems simply to avoid controversy, and she will continue to answer questions that she believes are relevant to fans and citizens alike.
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Christoph Friedrich is a German tennis player and coach currently residing in Oakland, California. He began his tennis journey at the age of eight and has since dedicated his life to the sport. After working as a tennis coach and hitting partner in New York City for eight years, Christoph decided to share his knowledge and experience with tennis players around the world by creating the My Tennis Expert blog. His goal is to make tennis education accessible to everyone and help players select the best equipment for their game, from racquets and strings to shoes and overgrips. Christoph's extensive research and expertise in tennis technology make him a valuable resource for players of all levels.
