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Coco Gauff defended her decision to dress up and get glam for Grand Slam tournaments when speaking a Vogue Beauty Secrets video ahead of the 2025 US OpenThe 2x-time Grand Slam champion explained why she makes fashion-forward choices for her looks both on and off the tennis courtGauff, however, made clear that having her hair, nails and outfit “done” for matches is “very rare”

The ball is in Coco Gauff‘s court.

The 2x-Grand Slam champion, 21, opened up about her fashion-forward looks for match day and defended her decisions to get glam and dress up for the major tennis events.

“I plan my outfits for tournaments well in advance just because I like to know what I’m wearing,” Gauff said in a Vogue Beauty Secrets video, noting that she’s going to get her nails done “to match the outfit” she’s set to wear in the 2025 US Open.

Coco Gauff in action in the second round on Day 4 of the Cincinnati Open on Aug. 10, 2025.

 Robert Prange/Getty 

While the tennis star noted that it’s “very rare” when “all the three things are done,” in reference to her hair, nails and outfit coordination for competition, she said she tries to “make sure” that the trifecta is complete for Grand Slams, specifically.

“I don’t know why it’s such a big deal what women choose to do with their on-court or off-court looks,” she says in the video clip, noting that she often gets called out by naysayers for spending “more time” on her outfits than the court.

“And I’m like, ‘I’m a human. Tennis is what I do, but it’s not who I am’,” she says with pride, explaining, “‘And I like to express my way just like any other person likes to express themselves’.”

“For me, that’s just showing up on court being the best version of myself,” Gauff continues, adding, “But I definitely think if women want to do that, they should be celebrated and not persecuted for it.”

Ahead of the 2024 US Open, Gauff — who won the 2023 US Open and the 2025 French Open — revealed to PEOPLE exclusively that she plans her Grand Slam outfits up to “two years… maybe sometimes longer in advance,” and explained how she comes up with them.

The final ensembles aren’t “set in stone until the big day,” she said of her looks for Grand Slams, which also includes the Australian Open and Wimbledon, the prestigious tournament where she famously defeated her role model Venus Williams in the first round in 2019 at age 15.

Coco Gauff faces Dayana Yastremska of Ukraine during the women’s singles first found match on Day 2 the 2025 Wimbledon Championships.

Daniel Kopatsch/Getty

The athlete has also experimented with her hair. Last year, she switched things up by going honey blonde. “Honestly, the inspiration pic was from [Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith‘s daughter] Willow Smith,” she told PEOPLE at the time. 

Gauff says expressing herself through her sense of style on and off the court is something she feels “very passionate about” — and this year is no different!

The 2025 US Open kicked off on Aug. 24 and will conclude on Sept. 7, taking place at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows–Corona Park, Queens, N.Y. (This has been the venue for the event since 1978!)

Gauff took the court on day three of the US Open, where she defeated Ajla Tomljanovic of Australia in the first round on Aug. 26.

The athlete dominated the court in a striking New Balance ensemble, sporting a fiery red crop top and a white tennis skirt with a coordinating red waistband and neon red sneakers by the brand. She paired it with a headband, sweat-wristbands and socks in a darker shade of red.

Coco Gauff sports an all-purple ensemble on Final Day of WTA Finals as part of the 2024 Hologic WTA Tour in Saudi Arabia.

Robert Prange/Getty

Gauff drove the match home when she struck a signature backhand for a winner and match point.

Next, the No. 3 seed plays her second-round match on Aug. 28. at 7 p.m. ET at Arthur Ashe Stadium.