Coco Gauff has no reason to hide her faith, but some don't like the fact that she mentions it in her speeches. The American player has a response for those people.
After having an impressive winning streak at the start of the 2025 season, Gauff struggled to find her best tennis in the following weeks. She ended her search for form in Madrid, where she reached the final.
The 21-year-old lost to Aryna Sabalenka in the final of the tournament in the Spanish capital, but it was still a very good result for her. After the final, both finalists addressed the crowd in Madrid.
During her speech, Gauff mentioned her Christian faith, thanking Jesus Christ for being able to do what she does. For the 2023 US Open champion, it was an important moment, but some fans online didn't like that moment.
Some thought that Gauff shouldn't mention her faith during speeches, but that's a narrative that the WTA World No. 3 player doesn't agree with. Gauff was asked about her speech ahead of the 2025 Italian Open, and from her response, it was clear that she saw the comments online.
Gauff said that mentioning her faith is important to her, and also had a message for those who say she shouldn't do it, standing by her beliefs.
"Yeah, it's super important for me. I've said it in every speech. I know there's like a whole discourse about it online, but I've done it every speech that I've been on tour. I'm not out here trying to force anybody to believe in anything. I share my beliefs for people who also believe in it, as well."
"I think for me you come to a point where you start criticizing people for saying anything, whether it's religion, or pride in their sexuality or anything like that, that's a bit of censorship. I think we all should be able to do what we want to do as long as it's not harming other people. For me it's important to share it and let other people know it helps me, it could also help someone else in their life."
Coincidentally, the new pope will be chosen in the Vatican during the period when the Italian Open takes place in Rome. That's why Gauff was asked a follow-up question about whether she would go to St. Peter's Square this week during the Papal conclave.
She explained that she might go there, but only to see it as a tourist, not because of her faith, since she is not Catholic.
"Yeah, I'm not Catholic. I would go because I feel like it's a historic thing. We talked about it. I learned a lot 'cause I don't know anything about the Catholic religion. With the whole smoke thing, I thought that was cool. I would like to go and see it and be around it since we're here."
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