Being 22 and the world’s highest-paid woman athlete aren’t really two terms we get to see often. But things are different with Tennis star Coco Gauff. And if you want a sneak peek at her stellar money-making journey, this is the right place!

And it all started with a shoe deal.

CG1

The 14-year-old Gauff was pretty much what a teenager would be like. So, her father, Corey Gauff, had to step up and negotiate her first multi-year endorsement deal with New Balance on her behalf.

New Balance recognized the potential when little Gauff became the youngest champion at the French Open Junior Title in 2018. By 2022, the deal aged like fine wine, resulting in the launch of her first signature shoe, New Balance Coco CG1.

CG2

New Balance senior footwear product manager for tennis, Josh Wilder, said via Andscape that Gauff wanted an “evolution, not a revolution,” for her next shoe, as per Aaron Dodson of Andscape.

Inspired by the New Balance 550, her New Balance Coco CG2 took the tennis world by storm on August 21, 2024. If the CG1 was her introduction, the CG2 indicated where she stood in her life at that moment.

The Height She Reached With New Balance and Other Endorsement Deals

Although her income details aren’t disclosed, she reportedly may earn around $1M a year from her deal with New Balance. But her portfolio isn’t just about New Balance.

Gauff’s active deals include names like Rolex, Mercedes-Benz, Bose, Barilla, Carol’s Daughter, and Fanatics. Celebrity Net Worth estimates Gauff’s net worth in 2026 to be around $35M.

Forbes reported that $9.4M of her income comes from Prize money and $25M from endorsements. By 22, Gauff has been Forbes’ highest-paid female athlete for two consecutive years (2024, 2025).

All Goes Back to New Balance

With 11 WTA singles titles, 10 doubles titles, and 2 Grand Slams under her belt, Gauff has established herself enough to attract deals. But New Balance will surely hold a special place for recognizing her talent early and giving her a platform to start.

And the feelings are mutual.

"Coco has been with us since we first set out to authenticate our brand across all sports,” New Balance tennis marketing manager Evan Zeder said, per the same Andscape report.

"We can confidently say now that we have the best athletes in the world wearing New Balance," he added.

That being said, which tennis star do you think has the best PE? Let us know in the comments.

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Written by

Deblina Roy

Edited by

Rudra Dubey