Coco Gauff debuts retro signature shoes at Atlanta Open exhibition match
Coco Gauff has made rapid strides in the world of tennis since she defeated Venus Williams in the opening round of Wimbledon 2019. Gauff reached the finals of the French Open earlier this year before going down to an in-form Iga Swiatek at Roland Garros.
The 18-year-old has a new signature tennis shoe called the New Balance Coco CG1 which she sported while playing an exhibition match ahead of the ongoing Atlanta Open.
: @CocoGauff debuts her new signature shoe, the NB Coco CG1, at the Atlanta Open. 
🚨: @CocoGauff debuts her new signature shoe, the NB Coco CG1, at the Atlanta Open. 🔥 👟 🎾
#madeforthew | @newbalance https://t.co/ZXRKhfqQ19
"Coco Gauff debuts her new signature shoe, the NB Coco CG1, at the Atlanta Open"
Roger Federer is the only other current player to have a signature tennis shoe, the "Roger Pro." Gauff described the launch of her signature shoe as a "dream come true," hoping that it would inspire generations to come.
"It's an absolute dream come true to be able to put my stamp on this sport with New Balance and hopefully inspire generations to come. I am really excited to see how people wear this shoe, on and off the court," the teenager said.
The shoe happens to be one of the most technologically advanced products of its kind in the market today with a distinct 90s vibe. The tennis star stated that she needed just a few attempts to get her signature right as she has been using it more often in the recent past.
"Admittedly, I've been using it more often than ever before, so just a few attempts. I didn't want to overthink it and then it was up to the New Balance designers to incorporate it the right way and I love how it turned out. I hope other people do as well," she stated.
"There's just something freeing about the color palettes and blending of styles in that era that has always stood out to me. I love putting a modern spin on those '90s elements and it's cool to see it coming back with my generation in so many ways," revealed Gauff about what she liked about the design of the shoes.
Gauff, who wears New Balance sports shoes and clothing, signed up with the company in 2018 for a multi-year sponsorship contract.
Coco Gauff's season thus far
Coco Gauff didn't quite have the dream start to the season that she may have been hoping to after a first-round exit at the Australian Open.
She lost to Maria Sakkari in the quarterfinals of the Qatar Open before going on to reach her maiden Grand Slam final at Roland Garros.
The teen star got past Elena-Gabriela Ruse and Mihaela Buzamescu before being ousted by Amanda Anisimova in the third round of Wimbledon.
15-year old Coco Gauff beats Venus Williams 6-4, 6-4 in the first round of Wimbledon.
As a fan of tennis, I’m so happy to see the great champ Gauff becomes.
As someone who’s loved Venus for 20 years, that was hard to watch. That felt like the end.
The American defeated compatriot Taylor Townsend 6-3, 6-3 in her opening exhibition match of the Atlanta Open on Sunday.
Gauff first made the headlines when she beat Venus Williams in the first round of WImbledon 2019. At 15, she became the youngest player to win a main-draw singles match since Jennifer Capriati in 1991.