Gauff’s Comments About U.S. Tennis Fans Create Controversy, and Cause for Clarification

Coco Gauff’s pre-tournament comments comparing American fans to fans from other countries have created some controversy on social media. It got so heated that the two-time major champion felt she had to reply just hours before her match at United Cup on Monday.

How did it start? Innocently enough. Gauff was asked the following by a reporter:

Coming to Australia, coming to Perth, and then going over to Sydney and then Melbourne, do you feel like there’s a good crowd contingent, a lot of U.S. compatriots or U.S. people coming out to support you?
And Gauff replied: “I’ll be honest, no. I feel like we’re definitely, in the tennis department, the worst when it comes to that. So I’ve always said I wish our country in other places would show up throughout the world as we see maybe smaller countries support.
“But I also think it’s just because of our country is good in so many sports, so it’s just hard.”

After a video of her comments was posted, Gauff decided to take to X to post a reply to criticism.

“I was just honestly answering a question I was asked and it was simply an observation I noticed about other countries vs mine that is all. Nevertheless I am grateful for any support no matter how big or small it is,” she wrote.

lol I ‘m going to clarify because people are dragging this out of context. I ‘m not expecting people to travel to tournaments to watch us play. But there are many tournaments that we have in america and abroad where americans are already attending regardless of who is playing… https://t.co/AqutxKTZYy
— Coco Gauff (@CocoGauff) January 5, 2026

Fans who regularly travel and watch tennis know what Gauff is talking about. She’s likely not the only player who would make that observation. And credit Coco for being honest, that’s why we enjoy her in press conferences, she’s never been one to shrink away from giving an honest opinion, or even to clarify, if she feels she’s been misunderstood.

It isn’t clear how much the controversy bothered Gauff during her match with world No.41 Jessica Bouzas Maneiro on Monday, but the world No.3 wasn’t herself for long stretches and ended up being bageled in the final set of a 6-1, 5-7, 6-0 loss to the Spaniard.

Bouzas Maneiro had never deafeated a Top-5 player prior to the match.

“I feel like her comments were pretty fair,” said Laura Robson, who was commentating her match on Monday in Perth.

We agree.