Coco Gauff backs mother's pre-rejection of US Open ticket request from friends and family: 'It was needed'

If you are looking for US Open tickets, please do not ask Coco Gauff’s mother.

That was the statement sent out via Instagram on Thursday, and a subsequent discussion shed some little-seen light on how professional tennis players and the people around them navigate fame.

Three days before the start of the singles draw at Flushing Meadows, Gauff’s mother Candi posted what as essentially a pre-rejection for any ticket requests from family and friends, noting that Gauff has her own people to worry about as an adult.

Her full message:

“Dear Family and friends, I apologize in advance for this blunt, but necessary statement. I know you are very excited about Coco playing in the US Open. Me too!!!Coco’s guest ticket request have already been accounted for. Unfortunately, I will not be able to hook you up with a ticket. Please make arrangements to purchase a ticket. Side note, never ask for more than 2 tickets. Coco is grown now and she has her own friends that she is honoring tickets for the match. Thank you for your continued support.”

That post drew more than a little attention, with Gauff’s fellow American players Jessica Pegula, Madison Keys and Danielle Collins all posting supportive comments.

Coco herself was asked about the matter the next day while speaking with reporters. She explained that her mother was merely responding to years of excessive requests for some of the most valuable seats in the stadium:

“It was needed. It was directed towards a few family and friends. To be honest, people come out the woodworks, you haven’t spoken to someone for years, they don’t say ‘Congrats’ or ‘Happy birthday’ or nothing and then they’re like ‘Oh I’m in New York, can I have eight tickets to your match in your box, please?’ They give us tickets here but you know, they were selling in advance, so it’s not like I can give all these people tickets.

“Last year they were really stressed out between my mom and my dad trying to accommodate everyone. If we have it, we’ll give it. It was just stressful for them. A lot of people personally don’t have my number, so they don’t reach out to me. They’ll reach out to them or someone on my team. I don’t know who the person who sent her a text this year where she felt that was the final straw, but somebody must’ve sent her something and she was like, ‘I need to make a post.’

“Specifically in New York it’s just crazy. New York and Wimbledon are the ones I think people want to come to. We try our best to accommodate everyone, but some of their requests are — you’d be surprised how absurd they are.”

Gauff, who won her first of two Grand Slam singles titles at the 2023 US Open, is scheduled to open her tournament against Turkey’s Zeynep Sönmez, ranked 52nd in the world, in the first round.

In addition to the usual stakes of a Grand Slame, there is a path for the 22-year-old Gauff to become the WTA’s No. 1 player for the first time in her career in New York. Currently ranked No. 4, Gauff can jump to the top if she wins the title and No. 2 Elena Rybakina fails to reach the semifinals.