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Coco Gauff recently shared her feelings on two letters sent by her along with a host of other top 10 WTA and ATP stars to the four tennis majors. The players have sent the letters to the Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon Championships and US Open in a request to ensure bigger benefits for players taking part at the prestigious events, which make the most profits in tennis.
Other than Gauff, some of the players have signed the letters consisting of Aryana Sabalenka and Iga Swiatek from the WTA side, and Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner and Jack Draper from ATP side. Through written letters, the stars want all players to earn big prize money from the Majors. Demands for maternity and health benefits, as well pensions contributions have been made.
After her 6-4, 6-0 second round victory against Kamilla Rakhimova at the 2025 China Open, Coco Gauff was questioned about the letters. Here, the player firmly stood by the contents of the two letters and said that despite having the signatures of the sport's most elite names, they are intended to represent the top 300 players across WTA and ATP tours.
"Yeah, I think the goal is just obviously increasing the percentage of prize money, but also making it better not just for us but throughout the field. The top 10 signed a letter as a representation of the entire tour, within the top 200 or top 300 I would say," Gauff said.
The two-time singles major champion also addressed that she and other players signed the letter because it is likely for the Slams to heed their suggestions instead of those coming from lower-ranked players.
"Unfortunately it's like that: the top players, you can put more pressure, your voices are heard a little bit more. We try to take advantage of that and use it. Yeah, I think the biggest message is not just to benefit us, it's to benefit all the players," she added.
Coco Gauff to clash against former US Open runner-up in China Open
Leylah Fernandez, the 23-year-old Canadian who finished runner-up to Emma Raducanu in the 2021 US Open women's singles final, is Coco Gauff's opponent in the third-round at this year's China Open. Fernandez got her campaign in Beijing off to a flying start, as she defeated Maria Sakkari 6-2, 6-0.
The American and the Canadian have faced each other on two previous occasions. Both of those games ended in Gauff's favor, that too in straight sets.
Coco Gauff is the defending women's singles champion at this year's China Open. In the final of last year's edition of the WTA 1000 hardcourt event in Beijing, she produced a 6-1, 6-3 win against Karolina Muchova.
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