Coco Gauff Reveals What She Eats Before And After A Match

| by Nurein Ahmed

Coco Gauff has been eating the same meal before matches for many years, and it has now become a ritual while at the same explaining why she developed a superstition towards one ingredient.

Gauff spoke to Insider ahead of the 2023 US Open, where she revealed that she has been taking penne pasta before a match for years. Gauff partnered with Barilla - the largest pasta producer in the world - since the age of 15, but it isn't her sole reason why she chose pasta as her pre-match meal.

Gauff is fond of pasta, specifically penne pasta, because she considers the dish a one-course meal, making it easier to eat along with chicken, spinach, and Parmesan cheese on the top. Her choice of preference is also backed by the idea that her match outfit remains unstained during and after the meal.

In the past, the 19-year-old noted a downturn in results after switching her pre-match meal by adding mushrooms to her pasta. Her stomach hurt a bit and since that experience, Gauff has perpetually been superstitious about adding mushrooms to her dish before a match.

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"I do love mushrooms in pasta, I just don't eat them pre-match. They make my stomach kind of hurt a little bit, but also, I don't know if it's just in my head too sometimes (laughing). I'm usually not superstitious — just with that."

Consuming dairy products is usually not recommended for athletes as it can easily lead to discomfort and cause some sort of intolerance to the stomach. Gauff, however, has not been able to shake off her love affair with Parmesan cheese.

After matches, Gauff admits she occasionally squeezes cheat meals which can range from burgers, fries, and Diet Coke. She tends to avoid eating red meat before a match as it can make her stomach heavy. While it is always advisable to have sufficient energy before a match, too much of it can be harmful.

"Post-match it's good (eating meat), but right before, it can get a little heavy. It's weird prepping for matches — you want enough fuel, but not too much that you feel heavy."

Gauff, ranked sixth in the world, will be in action at next week's US Open where she is one of the favorites to lift her first Grand Slam title.

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