Jan 27, 2026; Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; Coco Gauff of United States in action against Elina Svitolina of Ukraine in the quarterfinals of the women’s singles at the Australian Open at Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne Park. Mandatory Credit: Mike Frey-Imagn Images© Mike Frey-Imagn Images.

Coco Gauff Responds To Awful Messages About Her Appearance

Originally posted on The Spun | By Chris Rosvoglou | Last updated Apr 10, 2026 11:00 PM ET

Despite being one of the most successful athletes in America right now, Coco Gauff has received a ton of criticism from critics and online trolls.

Gauff, 22, has firmly established herself as one of the best women's tennis players in the world. She's a two-time Grand Slam champion who hasn't even reached the prime of her career yet.

Unsurprisingly, Gauff's success on the court has led to her receiving a ton of sponsorship deals. A few days ago, she shared a photo from her collaboration with Miu Miu. Although that campaign was designed to promote the Vivant handbag, some people used it as an excuse to mock her appearance.

With that said, Gauff addressed her critics on Thursday with a lengthy TikTok video. She made it clear that she won't let people's negative comments change how she presents herself.

"There are thousands of people talking about the way that I look, and not in a positive way," Gauff said. "I’m not gonna apologize for the way that my hair looks because there are other girls who had the exact same hair as me, and I just wanted them to feel represented that your hair is literally fine the way it is."

Thankfully, Gauff's fans showed her plenty of love in the comments section.

"Girl, you don’t owe those people an explanation," one person replied. "You’re beautiful and gifted."

"WON’T & DON’T have to apologize for a damn thing! You’re so beautiful inside & out! Keep shining superstar," a TikTok user wrote.

"Who are you explaining to?! You are Coco Gauff," another fan commented.

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Gearing up for her title defense.

Gauff will enter the clay court season with a fairly large target on her back. That's what comes with the territory of winning the French Open.

"I think this Grand Slam win was harder than the first because you don't want to get satisfied with just that one," Gauff said after defeating Aryna Sabalenka in last year's final at Roland-Garros.

As of now, Gauff has the second-best odds (+550) to win the 2026 French Open. We'll see if she silences her critics this May.

This article first appeared on The Spun and was syndicated with permission.

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