Coco Gauff bridges generational divide, plots stylish future in WTA Finals debut

WATCH: Gauff addressed fans on court in Guadalajara, the last tournament before the WTA Finals.

FORT WORTH, Texas—Jessica Pegula let out a comic sigh when asked what teenaged doubles partner Coco Gauff has taught her after a wildly successful season saw the two make WTA Finals debuts in both disciplines.

“A lot of TikTok,” joked the 28-year-old of the 18-year-old Gauff, who boasts just under 200K followers on the platform that defines Gen Z with a blend of skits, moves, and trendy sounds.

The extremely online Gauff admits the hobby sometimes leaves Pegula lost in translation.

“It's more just sounds,” she explained on Media Day. “Sometimes the conversation relates to certain sounds. I'll say them and she'll look at me and say, ‘What?’

“I'm, like, ‘You've never seen that?’ She's, like, ‘No.’

“Then I feel like, Damn, okay,’” she adds with a laugh. “Then it becomes awkward.

“We don't really notice the age difference until, you know, certain conversations come up. It's definitely a generation divide.”

The youngest player in either WTA Finals field, Gauff has become the tour’s resident tastemaker, listing an eclectic mix of streaming recommendations that range from anime (One-Punch Man) to prestige drama (All American).

“She has really good energy,” Pegula says of her partner. “You know, like a lot of first-pumping, jumping around. Her athleticism and the youthfulness about her. She's very giggly. She laughs a lot. She's always kind of messing around.

“I think just having that kind of energy, especially when we're playing doubles, has kind of taught me to kind of do that more in my singles game since I'm pretty laid back, but I think at times I've picked up little things from that.

“She keeps me young,” she adds with a laugh.

Gauff is poised to continue inspiring athletes of all ages with her continuing New Balance partnership.

She has really good energy. You know, like a lot of first-pumping, jumping around. Her athleticism and the youthfulness about her. She's very giggly. She laughs a lot. She's always kind of messing around...She keeps me young. Jessica Pegula on Coco Gauff

“New Balance has supported me since my junior tennis years and been by my side for the biggest moments of my career,” said the world No. 4, who debuted a signature Coco CG1 shoe with the brand this summer. “The team feels like family, so it was an easy decision to extend with a team that’s embraced me as a person and genuinely works to help bring out my best.”

Gauff indeed brought her best throughout 2022, reaching her first Grand Slam final at Roland Garros and topping the WTA doubles rankings—making all kinds of “Youngest Ever” and “Youngest Since…” headlines that she does her best to block out.

“When it comes to these statistics and stats about my age, I guess...I mean, it's cool, but I feel like it's my life, so I don't look at it as amazing or outstanding as other people look at it,” she explains.

“When I'm stepping on the court, my opponent...at least I don't think they look at me any different because I'm younger.”

Gauff will unsurprisingly open her WTA Finals campaign against a veteran (relatively speaking) in Caroline Garcia, who brought back a TikTok oldie with an Old Town Road rendition for her Media Day presser.

It will be up to the No. 4 seed to set a new trend by week’s end.