Coco Gauff has always looked up to the Williams sisters not only for their success in the sport, but also because of their fearless style and self-expression on and off the court. Following her first French Open victory, Gauff detailed how the Williams sisters influenced one of her appearance-related habits.

Recently, Gauff advanced past the first round at Roland Garros on Court Philippe-Chatrier. After the match, she opened up about how the Williams sisters influenced her to sport different hairstyles on tour.

The 22-year-old said, “I’ve said this before, I pride myself in showcasing different black hair on tour. Just so almost every girl can feel represented. The Williams sisters did that for me, so I try to do that for someone else.”

And Gauff has backed that message through her own actions. Last year, during Black History Month, Coco Gauff revealed a special hairstyle inspired by Serena Williams and Venus Williams.

The 22-year-old paid tribute to the sisters with a beaded cornrow hairstyle. In an Instagram clip shared on February 25, she said, “I remember obviously watching Venus and Serena when I was young. This look is kind of an homage to them.”

Over the years, Coco Gauff’s hairstyles have continued to evolve alongside her tennis journey. When she first broke onto the scene at the Wimbledon Championships in 2017, she wore box braids. By the 2023 US Open, she had switched to cornrows.

Now in 2026, Gauff has embraced her natural 4C hair texture along with a long braid-and-wave style.

That connection to hair and self-expression also grew stronger through her partnership with Carol’s Daughter. Even before officially working with the brand, Gauff had already been using its products for years.

And Coco Gauff continues to confidently embrace her natural hair. Last month, she responded to online criticism after a photoshoot with Miu Miu, which has helped design some of her recent tennis outfits.

Coco Gauff Defends Her 4C Hair After Online Backlash

The 22-year-old explained that the Miu Miu photoshoot demanded a more natural and minimal style. And hence, Gauff chose to wear her natural 4C hair texture during the shoot.

However, her hairstyle quickly became a major topic online afterward. And some people even criticized the look and described it as “unkempt.”

In response, Gauff later said, “To all the young Black girls out there who have kinky hair like me, do what you want to do with your hair.”

She also explained, “I do play tennis, so most of the time when I’m wearing it in a bun, I choose to allow my hair to be and to present in its 4C self, because I do have 4C hair. … I don’t want it to be super-slicked-back, because it’s just not good for my hair.”

She also encouraged people to express themselves freely through different Black hairstyles, something she has proudly done throughout her career.

Meanwhile, after surviving a scary car accident earlier in the day, Coco Gauff still defeated Taylor Townsend in the first round of the Roland Garros. Now, the world No. 4 is preparing to face Mayar Sherif in the second round.

Gauff won their previous meeting 6-2, 6-2 at the Cincinnati Open. So, do you think she can beat Sherif again two years later?

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Written by

Sauramita Debbarma

Edited by

Souvik Roy