The US Open is about to begin in earnest and American star Coco Gauff is backing her mother’s stance on friends and family asking for free tickets to the tournament.
There are very few stars at the US Open with as many eyes on them as Coco Gauff. The 22-year-old won the tournament in 2023 and is one of the main draws in 2026, too.
When superstar athletes play in their home countries, they have to deal with something most fans don’t think about. Getting tickets for friends and family is expected, but sometimes it can get overbearing.
Gauff’s mother, Candi, recently sent a blunt message to extended family and friends on social media to stop asking for free US Open tickets. And despite some online backlash, Coco has her mom’s back.
Photo by Rich Storry/Getty ImagesCoco Gauff said her mother’s statement was needed and gave 2025 US Open example while supporting herThe two-time Grand Slam champion’s mother in her Instagram post explained that Coco’s guest ticket requests had all been spoken for and that there was no way for her to help people get more.
Gauff addressed the situation during a press conference, explaining the ‘stressful’ situation her parents had to deal with during the 2025 US Open.
“It was needed. It was directed toward a few family and friends,” Gauff revealed.
“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 8 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. 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.”
Gauff is one of the highest-earning athletes in the world, but there are limits to how much anyone can accommodate requests. It seems Coco and her mother are aligned on the subject, and it’s been a long time coming.
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