A father’s greatest gift: How Corey Gauff built the foundation for his superstar daughter

Coco Gauff is a superstar in every sense of the word, and she has taken tennis to new heights with her play and off-court endeavors. The American has lived up to the enormous expectations placed on her as a teenager and continues to conduct herself with class and elegance in every setting. It all started with family, as her parents Corey and Candi Gauff instilled the key ingredients to becoming a good person in their daughter long before she picked up a tennis racquet.

The patriarch of the family joined Tennis Channel 2’s “Second Serve” program on the heels of his daughter’s Roland Garros championship, which was a signature moment in career that’s just getting started.

Gauff was very candid about his team’s work to bring out the best in his oldest child, and why the best really is yet to come.

Despite his background as his daughter’s coach, Corey Gauff is a dad first, and a nervous one at that. He has a very difficult time staying in his seat during Coco’s matches, and the Roland Garros final was no different.

Read more: Coco Gauff battles past Aryna Sabalenka to win first Roland Garros title, second Grand Slam crown

“I kind of parked in the transportation area and I watched on my iPad,” he explained with a sheepish grin. “The first match point, I start walking to go to the box, and she lost it, and then the next point to give her [Aryna Sabalenka] a break point. So I turned around and I went back and sat in my place. I said, 'I’m not moving until it’s over.'”

It had been three years since Coco Gauff first reached the Roland Garros final, and though the match did not go her way, that experience served her well the second time around. Her triumph in 2025 showcased how far the American has come as a player and person.

“There was too much celebration over trying to get to the final and not complete the task. And I think the second time, certainly she was mentally stronger,” Corey Gauff explained. His daughter has built a Hall of Fame resume at age 21, but the focus for Team Gauff remains less on accolades and more on self-actualization.

“We put a racquet in her hand so she could be the best version of herself she could be," he added. "If that’s winning lots of Grand Slams, then so be it. But as long as you’re being the best version of yourself and proud of yourself, that’s what really matters.”

Relying on the experiences he and his wife had as athletes, the Gauff patriarch incorporated a system to remain committed to his daughter in any avenue that she pursued, which fortunately for the tennis world, was this game she has shined brightly in. There would be no questioning their devotion to her pursuits, but they also refused to be overbearing sports parents.

If Coco was going to succeed as a tennis player, it was going to because she wanted it, not because her parents demanded it," he said.

“We were going to make sure we don’t have any regrets about not giving her the best possible opportunity to get the best possible training we can afford or have time for,” he said.

Their focus was not on raising a tennis champion, but rather a quality person: “You’ve got to let them grow and develop, and emphasize being good kids.”

Read more: Michelle Obama: Coco Gauff's Roland Garros win 'inspired us all'

Corey Gauff and his wife Candi are a lesson for sports parents everywhere, and the humility they have amid their daughter’s excellence on the tennis court is very impressive. The patriarch of the family knows he has the best seat in the house, and understands that the journey is as exciting as any one tournament can be.

On "Second Serve," Corey Gauff discussed the importance piece of advice his daughter learned from Michelle Obama, the role of doubles in her singles career, and how Coco Gauff has become more mature in making her own professional decisions. Paris was just the latest step in what's still the beginning of a long and prosperous career, and Corey Gauff knows that each day is an opportunity for his little girl to better herself as a complete individual.

“I really truly feel like her best years are ahead of her," he said. "I think there’s so much more she can do to grow her game and get better.”