Coco Gauff recently experienced an exciting career highlight that had nothing to do with her performance on the tennis court. The 20-year-old tennis sensation, who is on a break from tournaments in preparation for the upcoming WTA Finals in Riyadh, was thrilled to hear her name mentioned by one of her favorite musicians, Tyler, The Creator. In his new track, “Thought I was Dead,” Tyler gives a shout-out to Gauff with the line, “B****, you ain’t Coco Gauff, you can’t serve me,” a nod that quickly caught Gauff’s attention.
Gauff, a known fan of Tyler, wasted no time reacting to the unexpected reference, sharing her excitement on social media. On X, she expressed her surprise by tweeting, “waking up to my name being mentioned in a tyler song… absolutely insane. thank you.” She also posted a clip of the line on her Instagram story, humorously captioning it with “What Tyler said.” Gauff’s admiration for Tyler isn’t new; she attended his Camp Flog Gnaw Carnival last year and has been spotted wearing clothing from his brand, Golf Le Fleur.
The reference was likely a dream come true for the US Open champion, but some fans quickly picked up on the irony of Tyler’s lyrics referencing her serve, an area of her game she’s been openly working to improve. In her recent match against Aryna Sabalenka at the Wuhan Open, Gauff recorded 21 double faults, a detail that some social media users pointed out when analyzing Tyler’s line. One commenter noted, “I would’ve picked another player,” while another remarked on the irony, suggesting Tyler might not follow tennis closely.
Despite the playful criticism, Gauff’s serve has shown potential, with an impressive 228 aces this season. Now, as she heads into her final tournament of the year, Gauff aims to build on her recent progress and end the season strong. She’s been working closely with her new coach, Matt Daly, to refine her serve and overall game, showing commitment to further improvement in an already stellar season.
The upcoming WTA Finals in Riyadh mark an important opportunity for Gauff to finish the season on a high note. Last year, she reached the semi-finals, and she’s determined to go even further this time, hoping her refined skills will help her secure a winning end to a challenging and rewarding year. With her name in the lyrics of one of her favorite artists, Gauff has already had a memorable season both on and off the court.
