Coco Gauff responds to criticism of her natural hair in new Miu Miu campaign

Coco Gauff called out critics of her hair after an online discussion about her appearance in a recent Miu Miu ad campaign took a hurtful turn.

The two-time Grand Slam winner shared a heartfelt eight-minute video on social media after users picked apart the photoshoot’s styling, from her outfit to her makeup-free face to her hair’s natural texture.

“I deleted TikTok and Twitter for a month, to come back on Twitter and see thousands of people talking about the way that I look like—and not in a positive way," she said.

“There’s nothing really to address, but I just wanted to come on here and talk about it.”

Read More: Coco Gauff loves styling her natural hair, on and off the court

Gauff is the highest-earning female athlete in the world, with a growing roster of blue-chip partnerships. She has worn New Balance and Miu Miu’s crossover tennis kits on court and has also partnered with Carol’s Daughter, a pioneer in natural hair care.

The 22-year-old was tapped by Miu Miu, the Italian luxury fashion brand, to promote its new Vivant leather bag—a reimagined bowler-style carryall.

In the shoot, Gauff posed on her backyard tennis court with the bag, styled in a preppy red polo and dark navy technical skirt. She wore light makeup, with her hair pulled back into a neat bun.

“I personally don’t like to slick back my hair super sleek, because it does damage my hair,” Gauff explained. “I do play tennis, so most of the time I’m wearing it in a bun. I have (curl type) 4C hair… That’s just not good for my hair.”

Posted a week ago, the photos initially drew praise but also a wave of negative comments criticizing her natural look—calling her hair “unpolished,” comparing her outfit to styles from the Civil Rights era, and more.

The backlash sparked a broader online debate that eventually reached Gauff.

“I’m not going to apologize for the way that my hair looked,” she said. “There are other girls who have the exact same hair as me, and I just want them to see and feel represented…

“My hair was good enough for a high-fashion brand like Miu Miu to promote one of their newest launches. So if my 4C hair was good enough for that, yours is good enough to do whatever you need it to do.”

Gauff also opened up about the mental toll of seeing the criticism.

“I’m not going to lie, for two days I was feeling rough. I’m someone who has struggled with looks throughout my life, just being a young Black girl in this world," she said. "Y’all did knock a diva down… but diva got up, and I feel better than ever.”

She signed off with a message to “all the young black girls out there who have kinky hair like me”:

“Do what you want with your hair, because at the end of the day people who hate on your appearance have something deeply insecure about themselves… They feel the need to put someone else down to make themselves feel better.”

Tennis fans are used to seeing Gauff switch up her hairstyles—from cornrows to boho braids to buns. She sometimes even matches her hair to her kits, like at the Australian Open, where her marigold yellow New Balance outfit coordinated with her long braids and gold accents.

In Miami, she paired a hat with her natural hair pulled back in a sporty bun on her way to the final, her first at her “home” tournament.

Now, Gauff is ready to move past the conversation and turn her focus to the clay-court swing—one of her favorite stretches of the season.

The defending Roland Garros champion is set to return to action at the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix, which begins April 13.