Coco Gauff is one of the most recognisable names in women’s tennis, with a slew of major titles and deep runs in tournaments cementing her among the game’s biggest stars. But off the court, her interests tend to be a lot more normal than her court life. Gauff has talked about how she likes things that take her away from the intensity that surrounds professional tennis during tournaments.That’s been especially the case in Cincinnati, where the American star has formed a personal bond with the city. When not on the court, she’s dined at local restaurants, gone to sporting events, seen films and just walked around on her own. For Gauff, the experiences are a chance to enjoy a city without every moment being about tennis.
How US Open champion Coco Gauff enjoys life beyond tennis
Cincinnati has become more than a stop on Gauff’s tournament calendar. The city has shown the American player how to enjoy a more peaceful life even while playing in the Cincinnati Open. She also has strong ties to the area, having grown up there, which provides another layer to her relationship with the tournament and its surroundings.Gauff has stated that Cincinnati is a big city, but it feels like home. That familiarity appears to have inspired her to venture outside the tennis facilities, rather than stay cooped up in a hotel or at the tournament site.During the 2025 Cincinnati tournament, Gauff reportedly stopped by Genki Ramen & Izakaya in Oakley. She also saw the horror film Weapons at Cinemark Oakley Station. Her activities showed that tournament downtime doesn’t have to be elaborate plans or exclusive experiences.Gauff was also seen walking solo to a Cincinnati Reds game. She had a memorable local moment at one time, serving Graeter’s Ice Cream to fans at the Lindner Family Tennis Center. These experiences have helped to paint a picture of an athlete who still cares about the surroundings of major sporting events.
How Coco Gauff finds comfort in solo time
One of the more unique things about Gauff’s off-court routine is her willingness to spend time alone. Professional tennis is a sport that involves a lot of travel, media commitments, training sessions and non-stop competition, and so any chance of true privacy can be scarce.Gauff, though, has said she likes having time to herself and being able to go out without every night being a big event. He think the best part is being able to go places by myself, she said before her Round of 16 match against Marie Bouzkova at Cincinnati in 2026.It seems that it’s important to Gauff to be treated like a regular person. She says she knows some people who could identify her, but she says she is comfortable going to different places when she feels the environment is safe.That mindset allows her to separate Coco Gauff the tennis player and Coco Gauff the person. A stroll through a city, a trip to the cinema or a meal in a restaurant can be a relief from rankings, match prep and the expectations that come with being a Grand Slam champion.One of the most obvious examples is in movies. Gauff calls herself a ‘movie person’ and says theatres are a good place to escape during the hard parts of tournaments. Watching a film provides a few hours away from tennis, media coverage and social obligations.
How Coco Gauff balances tennis with everyday escapes
Gauff’s interests go beyond films and solo walks. She has also incorporated food and local restaurant experiences into how she explores the cities she visits on tour.An example of this approach was her Cincinnati visit to Genki Ramen & Izakaya. Instead of staying in the usual bubble of tournament hotels and tennis facilities, she took the chance to have a taste of a local restaurant. Ditto for other food-centric excursions in her travels elsewhere.For an athlete who’s on the road a lot of the year attending international tournaments, local food can be a simple connection to each place. Restaurants also provide a different setting than the highly controlled environment of professional tennis.Gauff’s approach seems to be to find normalcy in a particularly demanding career. It may be a meal, a movie or a walk, but those activities offer a sense of routine when travelling from one competition to the next, even if it seems trivial compared to winning a big tournament.
How Coco Gauff keeps her personal interests varied
Gauff’s interests off the courts are not restricted to the things that have made headlines during tournament weeks. She also shared interests in reading, crocheting, fashion and Pinterest, as well as spending time with family.These hobbies provide various types of relaxation. Reading can provide a quiet reprieve from screens and competition, and crocheting provides an activity that doesn’t affect athletic performance. Fashion and Pinterest, meanwhile, are creative outlets for her interests to exist outside tennis.Spending time with family is an important part of her life. Family ties are especially important during breaks from competition because of the long periods away from home that the professional tennis calendar can bring.These interests combined give a larger picture of Gauff off the tennis court. Her public persona is inextricably bound up with Grand Slam titles, tournament performances and her growth as an elite athlete. Her private interest is in simpler pursuits that can easily fit into an international sporting calendar.Gauff’s tournament routine has often centred around things that everyday fans can relate to, as opposed to flaunting an extravagant celebrity lifestyle. That relatability adds another layer to the profile of an athlete whose career remains of global interest.Gauff still very much has a tennis-related life on the road, but it doesn’t need to be all tennis. The 22-year-old American star lets us peek into a more personal routine through her movies and restaurant visits, her walks and creative hobbies, which allow her to have interests and experiences outside the boundaries of the tennis court.