Coco Gauff ‘s choice of hair color usually keeps her fans guessing. From the fan-favorite red streaks in Australia earlier this year to blonde tones on grass swings, she matches her flair with her on-court dominance. But at the ongoing French Open, she was feeling herself, and when quizzed on it, her ambitions were traced back to the legacy of the most iconic sisters in tennis.

After routing her compatriot Taylor Townsend in the first round of the French Open, Gauff sat down with the media. During her press conference, the topic turned to fashion and lifestyle as a reporter asked Gauff whether she handled her own hair while on Tour.

Having explained her red hair color at the Australian Open, she revealed why she has kept her original black hair color. It was a sense of pride in flaunting her thick black hair to inspire women of all colors to feel confident taking up the sport. But the inspiration behind it was something honest. Gauff always backed women to reject the global standards and stand for themselves, and her hair color was a means of propagating that message.

“I pride myself in showcasing black hair so every girl feels represented’ said Gauff. “The Williams sisters did that for me, so I try to do that for someone else”, she added.

Gauff has publicly stated that the Williams sisters were the inspiration for her to pick up a tennis racket in the past as well. In the recent issue of the Roland Garros magazine, the twenty-two-year-old spoke about how the Williams sisters were trailblazers for black women to establish a foothold in the sport.

“Venus and Serena changed the sport forever”, said Gauff. “They inspired young Black girls to chase their dreams, even when they stood out in their environment. They are icons who showed that dominance, confidence, and culture can all coexist on the court. And yes, I definitely want to be a positive rôle model so young girls feel empowered to pursue tennis or anything else they love.

I hope young women can look up to me the same way I looked up to the Williams sisters. The sport is stronger when more girls see themselves represented in it.”

Given that Slams are the biggest stage in the sport, players choose these special tournaments to express themselves both on and off the court. World No.1 Aryna Sabalenka has been wearing exquisite custom-made jewelry at the last few Slams. In contrast, former World No. 1 Naomi Osaka has been the talk of the town due to her outfits at the Slams, including at Roland Garros.

On court, Gauff’s focus was singular: defending her title in brutal heat.

Coco Gauff Talks About the Brutal Heat at Roland Garros

The temperatures are soaring at Roland Garros this year, and the players are feeling the heat on court. There have already been six mid-match retirements in the first round, and players seem to be struggling in the conditions. While the heat changes court conditions by making the slow clay slightly quicker, giving players more value from their serves, it also requires them to be at their physical peak to withstand the hot, humid conditions.

After winning her first-round match, Gauff remained calm about the Paris heat. In her press conference, she said she was confident she could outlast her opponents in terms of physicality and heat resistance. Her confidence stemmed from being a Florida native, where high temperatures were common. Also, the American disclosed that she had short training sessions at midday to simulate match conditions, helping her acclimatize to the heat.

Gauff acquitted herself well in the heat in her opening round against Taylor Townsend. Despite losing her serve in the very first game, the defending champion did not panic and worked her way through the first set to win it 6-4. Once she was in her groove, she did not give her opponent any chance to come back, winning the second set 6-0. The third seed is now set up for a second-round clash against Egyptian qualifier Mayar Sherif.