By Richard Pagliaro | Tuesday, September 25, 2025
Photo: Jennifer Pottheiser/USTA
Coco Gauff spent part of Thanksgiving week getting back to the new players.
The reigning Roland Garros champion surprised a local tennis clinic in New Orleans East on Monday, visiting the tennis facility that was recently renovated in her honor.
The 10 courts at Joe Brown Park were renovated earlier this year as part of the US Open Legacy Initiative, which was launched in recognition of Gauff’s 2023 US Open women’s singles title.
As part of the initiative, the USTA pledged $3 million — the equivalent of Gauff’s prize money in 2023 — to renovate public tennis courts across the country. The New Orleans project was self-selected by the Gauff family because of the family’s extensive ties to the city.
“New Orleans has a super close place in my heart and to be able to come back here is really cool,” said Coco Gauff. “To be able to do this initiative with the USTA is amazing.”
Photo: Jennifer Pottheiser/USTA
Photo: Jennifer Pottheiser/USTA
Two-time Grand Slam champion Gauff grew up playing on public courts in her hometown of Delray Beach, Florida, and realized how transformative public park tennis can be for young players.
“The US Open Legacy Initiative, and the celebration of our 2023 Women’s Singles Champion, Coco Gauff, has allowed us to support more than 100 facilities across the country and connect the highest level of our sport with local communities,” said Brian Vahaly, Chairman of the Board and Interim Co-CEO, USTA. “By renovating the public courts at Joe W. Brown Park, we are expanding access to the game and giving more players a better place to play.
“We are grateful to partner with New Orleans on this project and are proud to support a facility that will benefit the community for years to come.”
Monday’s event featured a clinic run by local nonprofit A’s and Aces, which offers programs and events at the Joe W. Brown Park courts. A’s & Aces is a chapter of the USTA Foundation’s National Junior Tennis and Learning Network, which features more than 270 organizations nationwide that provide free or low-cost tennis, educational and skills programming to youth from under-resourced communities.
Photo: Jennifer Pottheiser/USTA
Former WTA Finals champion Gauff hit with the kids at the clinic, encouraging them and talking to them about the impactful experiences she’s had in her tennis career.
In a statement, the USTA said, “The event not only served as a celebration of the New Orleans project, but also marked the completion of the US Open Legacy Initiative, which reached its $3 million funding goal this summer. In total, the Legacy Initiative impacted more than 100 facilities, funding improvements to more than 700 derelict tennis courts across the country. The honor of Gauff’s US Open triumph.”
