Coco Gauff is making everyone proud, especially her parents! Her father, Corey Gauff once told Teen Vogue that her rise isn’t an overnight miracle. Neither he nor Candi calls her a tennis “prodigy.” Having been her first coach since the age of six, he certainly knows it all! “When it comes to something like tennis, [Coco] works hard. This is not an accident. She might be overnight popular, but she’s not an overnight success,” he had said. Watching your kid compete in high-stakes matches isn’t easy, though. So, how does Corey keep his cool under all that pressure?

On June 6, Gauff was somewhat overlooked as the spotlight shone on the looming showdown between No. 1 Sabalenka—the hottest player this year—and defending champ Iga Swiatek. But Gauff’s brilliant effort in the roller-coaster final sent a clear message: “I am not here to be overlooked.” She became the first American woman to win on the red clay in a decade.

Coco’s triumph showcased her superb athleticism, which helped her take down Sabalenka. Though she was alone on the court, her box was full of her team and parents cheering her on. During a Today Show chat, Corey Gauff was asked why he wore earphones during the match. His answer? “I might be listening to gospel music. I’m just trying to take my mind mentally off of the moment, because then I get nervous and I feel like she might feel my nervousness.”

Isn’t that heartwarming? Facing the world’s best on one of the biggest stages, Gauff showed incredible grit and stamina. She fought hard to beat Aryna Sabalenka 6-7 (5), 6-2, 6-4 to claim her first French Open title. Having her parents there celebrating was an even bigger win.

Faith runs strong in the Gauff family. Coco Gauff openly speaks about her Christian faith and its role in her tennis career. She often credits it for her strength and perspective. She said she and her dad have prayed before every match since she was eight—not for victory, but “just that me and my opponent stay safe.”

After winning the 2023 US Open, Gauff knelt in prayer and said, “I don’t pray for results. I just ask that I get the strength to give it my all. Whatever happens, happens. I’m so blessed in this life. I’m just thankful for this moment. I don’t have any words for it, to be honest.” She also shared how faith keeps her grounded during setbacks: “That French Open loss was a heartbreak for me. I realized God puts you through tribulations and trials. This makes this moment even more sweeter than I could imagine.”

So it makes perfect sense that her dad turned on some gospel to calm his nerves. But it’s not just that—he wasn’t seen in her box for parts of the match! Where was he?

Coco Gauff’s dad reveals his location during the French Open

Corey Gauff revealed where he watched his daughter’s historic French Open win—and it wasn’t where you’d expect. Talking to Tennis Channel after the match, he said, “So that room was taken from me, so I kind of parked in the transportation area and I watched on my iPad.” To keep calm, he usually turns the volume down or plays music so he doesn’t hear the commentary. When match point came, he started walking to the box—but Coco lost that point and the next, so he turned around and sat back down. “I’m not moving until it’s over!” he joked.

Will he be back in her box after this? Gauff shared some funny insights with TNT Sports about her dad’s reactions during matches. “He has some reactions where if I look in the box I want positivity and I will see him go like this [head in hand] or [slap his thigh],” she said. “He does not mean it. So after Wimbledon I lost the first round [in 2023] and was like, ‘Okay dad, we both agreed that you shouldn’t sit in the box. We can go at it, because I just can’t deal with the reactions.’” Sounds like a tough crowd!

Looking ahead, Coco’s next challenge is on grass courts. She’s shown solid form there, especially at Wimbledon, where she made a splash in her 2019 debut at just 15. Her overall grass record is an impressive 27-11, a 71.05% win rate.

She’s reached the fourth round at Wimbledon three times—in 2019, 2021, and 2024—but hasn’t gone further yet. Will this be the year she breaks through? Share your thoughts in the comments below.