Coco Gauff is no stranger to the weight of the global spotlight, having been under it since she was just 15. She still rose to the top of the sport, winning two grand slams at 21, while dealing with the relentless scrutiny of the social media age. But according to NBA Hall of Famer and analyst Charles Barkley, the pressure placed on Gauff and young tennis stars like her is more than in any other sport. While praising Gauff’s incredible on-court achievements, he also praised the family standing right behind her.
“Tennis is Probably the Worst Sport”: Charles Barkley Gets Real About the Crushing Pressure on Coco Gauff
On TNT Sports’ ‘The MacZone’ with John and Patrick McEnroe, Barkley was asked of the defending champion Gauff’s chances at the French Open. “First of all, she is terrific. Man, I love her story. I started following her, obviously, a few years ago. I love the support she gets from her mom and dad,” said Barkley.
It is no secret that tennis has a long history of thrusting teenagers onto the global stage, but Barkley pointed out that in the modern era, the stakes are different for these young athletes.
“And tennis is probably the worst sport. What I mean by that is y’all are probably more famous as teenagers than any other sport in the world. And you guys both know fame is a lot, man. And everybody only looks at the positive,” he shared candidly.
I mean, you got teenagers in these majors. Man, they’re under tremendous stress, especially now with social media and things like that. These kids are under so much pressure. So I love Coco’s story, but I love the way her mom and dad have always supported her. It seems like she’s on the right path.”
Chuck loves seeing @CocoGauff‘s relationship with her parents ❤️👏 pic.twitter.com/zV0cOdhHSd
— TNT Sports U.S. (@TNTSportsUS) May 27, 2026
In basketball or football, athletes are generally shielded by the collegiate system, draft limits, and team dynamics until their early twenties. But tennis players are more globally recognized and highly scrutinized by the time they are 20.
Coco’s parents, Corey and Candi Gauff, are former Division I athletes themselves. Corey played basketball at Georgia State University, while Candi was a standout track and field athlete (specifically the heptathlon) at Florida State University. Knowing the pressure, they were perfectly equipped to guide the 22-year-old.
When Coco was in second grade, and her potential became undeniable, the family moved back to their hometown of Delray Beach, Florida. Candi stepped away from her career as an educator to homeschool Coco full-time, while Corey left his job as a healthcare executive to become Coco’s primary head coach during her formative years. Now, one of her younger brothers, Codey Gauff, has also chosen a professional sports career in baseball and has committed to play Division I college baseball for the Missouri Tigers.
As Gauff continues her campaign to defend her Roland-Garros title, she will face Egypt’s Mayar Sherif in the second round tomorrow.
