Coco Gauff spoke candidly about the political situation in the United States this week, speaking out against recent violence during a press conference at the 2026 Dubai Championships.
In her remarks, the 21-year-old tennis star condemned the recent fatal shootings in Minneapolis involving federal ICE agents.
"Everything going on in the US, obviously I'm not really for it," Gauff told reporters. "I don't think people should be dying in the streets just for existing. I don't like what's going on."
Gauff went on to call out the deaths of Minnesota residents Renee Nicole Good and Alex Pretti. Good, a 37-year-old mother of three, was killed while using her Honda Pilot SUV to block ICE agents during a residential operation. Pretti, an ICU nurse, was fatally shot after stepping in to help a woman during an ICE protest.
While voicing her concerns, the two-time Grand Slam champion also emphasized her patriotism.
"It is tough to wake up and see something, because I do care a lot about our country," Gauff said from Dubai. "I think people think I don't for some reason, but I do. I'm very proud to be American."
Gauff later pushed back against the idea that athletes should avoid political topics. "I think the biggest thing I hate is when people say stay out of it," she explained. "If you ask me, I'm going to give you my honest answer."
The world No. 4 said her willingness to address controversial issues stems from her own family history. Her grandmother, Yvonne Lee Odom, became the first Black student to attend public school in Delray Beach, Florida in 1961. As such, supporting Back educational initiatives remains central to Gauff's work off the tennis court.
"My grandma is literally an activist," Gauff told reporters. "This is literally my life. I'm OK answering tough questions."
