Coco Gauff has been mightily impressive in 2025 as she now looks to make her presence felt at Wimbledon.
Last month, Gauff beat Aryna Sabalenka 6-7, 6-2, 6-4, to clinch her second Grand Slam title at the French Open. In doing so, Gauff strengthened her position as the greatest American player in tennis today. Earlier this year, the 21-year-old was offered private coaching sessions from her fellow American, Billie Jean King.
READ MORE: Major tennis rule change stopped ‘lots of cheating’, says Coco Gauff’s former coach
As she prepares for her opening match at Wimbledon, Gauff has responded to the offer and shared her thoughts on the former world number one.
Coco Gauff says Billie Jean King’s offer was ‘very cool’ and reveals what she would want to learn from her
Making an appearance on USA Today, the two-time Grand Slam winner gave her verdict on King’s coaching offer.
“I think it’s very cool to see someone like that want to talk and things like that,” said Gauff. “She has reached out a couple of times, and it has been great to have chats with her.”
Gauff then highlighted the one thing she would most like to learn from King, a 12-time Grand Slam singles champion. “I guess the main thing [I would like to learn] is how she handles it all,” she said.
“She is someone who had to sacrifice a lot more than I did when it came to just pushing for equality and not necessarily just in sports, but the world in general. Just how she was able to balance being at the top of her game, but having that mental headspace to advocate for a lot of important things in the world.”
King was influential in the growth of the women’s game and helped convince Virginia Slims to sponsor the tour in the 1970s.
The game continued to develop as King and several other big names worked hard to give the stars of today a level playing field.
Coco Gauff thinks tennis is lucky that Billie Jean King and Venus Williams ‘put their foot down’
The American explained how important King and Venus Williams were to the growth of the women’s game, as she commented on the pursuit of equal prize money.
“I always say we are so lucky that Billie Jean King, the original, Venus Williams, and people like that kind of put their foot down,” said Gauff.
“I feel like tennis can be years ahead, and it is because of them. I am just lucky that I am getting the product of that. I think it is great and I think tennis is important, that we continue to push it within our own sport.
“We are not at equal prize money in everything, but we continue to push it, because I think every sport deserves that.
“I think if we can continue to push in our own sport, it can reach a day, hopefully sooner rather than later, that everyone is getting the share of revenue that they deserve.”
Before Wimbledon began, there were more women ranked in the top ten 2025 prize money earners than men.
Gauff is currently ranked third, behind Sabalenka and Carlos Alcaraz, having accumulated over $5 million in 2025.
It’s lower down the list that the disparity is still very much evident, however, as the men earn more than their female counterparts.
There’s still work to be done, but thanks to King and Williams, the gap is closing, as the stars of the WTA Tour earn more today than ever before.
At Wimbledon, the prize money is equal between men and women, as the winner of both tournaments will earn over $4 million in 2025.
The 2025 Wimbledon women’s final is set to take place on Saturday, July 12, before the men’s final on Sunday, July 13.
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