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Matt Walsh, Assistant Editor
MELBOURNE, Australia — American world No. 3 Coco Gauff said she drew inspiration from Marvel’s superheroes when helping to design her tennis outfits for this year’s Australian Open.
Following her 6-3, 6-3 first-round win over fellow American Sofia Kenin on Monday, Gauff was asked about her kit by on-court interviewer and former player Laura Robson. The 20-year-old Gauff said she is a Marvel fanatic, and wanted to bring a touch of superhero to her New Balance apparel for this year’s opening Slam.
“I’m a huge Marvel fan. A lot of the female superheroes have cool cutouts on their outfits, so that’s what I wanted to do,” Gauff said.
But the No. 3 seed in Melbourne admitted the fashion statement didn’t come without its struggles, laughing with the crowd about the difficulty of going to the bathroom while wearing such an intricate design.
“New Balance has great designers, [but] it’s actually kind of a pain to get into, because it is a bodysuit, so I have to, like, put the bottom part [on] first and then pull it over my head, it’s kind of a struggle,” she said with a laugh. “And if you can’t hold your bladder it’s also not a good idea, but you have to sacrifice for fashion.”
While the outfit was a nod to superheroes, her choice of shoe was influenced by her father.
“My shoes are inspired by basketball shoes, because that’s the sport my dad wanted me to play, but I’m glad I chose tennis,” she said.
Gauff, who will face Great Britain’s Jodie Burrage in the second round in Melbourne, is seeking to add an Australian Open title to go with her 2023 US Open major crown.
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