Gauff donates $150,000 in support of HBCUs
Throughout her career, Coco Gauff has made a habit of championing causes that she believes in and using her platform to lift others up.
She continued that trend this week.
On Jan. 20, the United Negro College Fund (UNCF) announced that the third-ranked American on the WTA Tour Driven by Mercedes-Benz has donated $150,000 to the organization. The gift "provides scholarships to students attending historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs), who are playing competitive tennis."
Gauff also donated $100,000 to the philanthropic organization last year.
The 21-year-old's connection to HBCUs runs deep, and she provided some context and background after her second-round win over Olga Danilovic at the Australian Open.
"It's super important to me," she said. "I think if I didn't play tennis, I would have loved to attend an HBCU. ... Both my grandmothers went to HBCUs, [my] uncle and aunt went to an HBCU, and [I grew up] going to HBCU Classic games and things like that.
"It was just important to support that cause, especially in tennis. I feel like HBCU tennis a lot of times doesn't get the funding that they need. So for me, I would just always try to uplift marginalized communities and support where I can. ... I'm happy that I was able to do this for the second year in a row."
Gauff went on to explain how her grandmother made history in Florida, and it was ingrained in her from an early age to lead, inspire and use her voice to make the world a better place.
"My grandmother [was the] first integrated, first Black woman to attend a high school in Florida," Gauff said. "Integrated that school, and [was] very active in the community in Delray, where I live. Both sides, actually -- I have people on both sides that integrated schools.
"So I just feel like, low key, that's just in me. Ever since I was younger, I just feel that my purpose in the world is just to always uplift the people around me, those who maybe don't have a voice. I think that's why I just do that, but it doesn't feel like an expectation or pressure. It just feels like that's what I've got to do."
Gauff has yet to drop a set in her first two matches. She'll play fellow American Hailey Baptiste in the third round.