“It’s great to have my mom. She’s my biggest fan, for sure. Having one or both of my parents, I think, always makes the tournament easier,” Coco Gauff noted at the 2024 Wuhan Open, with her mother, Candi, a familiar face in her box. But it’s her father, Corey, who has also provided crucial interventions at key moments. Remember how his magical courtside speech helped her win the Linz Open final in 2019? “Just relax, you’re not going to sprint to the finish line. We’re going to walk to the finish line, ok?”, he told her in the deciding set. Result? A 15-year-old Gauff beat 2017 Roland Garros champion Jelena Ostapenko 6-3, 1-6, 6-2 to lift her maiden WTA trophy. Guess what? Her dad has come to her rescue once again with a heartfelt Easter message.

Gauff’s 2025 season has been sluggish, to say the least. After her impressive run at the Australian Open, having reached the QF, the World No.4 has struggled to catch a winning form. In four back-to-back events (Qatar Open, Dubai, Indian Wells, and Miami), she crashed out in the early rounds. Not to mention her inconsistency with landing accurate serves, resulting in frequent double faults. In fact, she’s leading the WTA chart this season for the most number of double faults (over 120). And if that wasn’t enough, the recent setback in Stuttgart only added to her growing misery.

After entering the QF at the WTA 500 event this past week, Gauff looked to make a deep run after a long time in 2025. But unfortunately, she was ousted, again, losing to Italy’s Jasmine Paolini (4-6, 3-6) on Saturday. For the record, this marked the second consecutive year that the American’s run at this tournament ended in the quarterfinals. In 2024, she lost to Marta Kostyuk in three sets.

In times like these, you need someone to pump you up, right? And what could be better than receiving words of motivation from your parents? Celebrating the Easter this weekend, Gauff shared a story on her Instagram on Sunday. She dropped an image featuring a bouquet, along with packs of Kinder Joy. And there was a note as well. Who sent it? It was Gauff’s father, Corey.

In the note, he tried to give her strength and wrote, “Happy Easter, Your work will pay off. God got you and so do I. Love, Dad”. The daughter was, undoubtedly, left in tears of joy. Failing to control her emotions, the 21-year-old reacted, “my dad 😢 is the best”.

But it’s not the first time when dad Corey has backed Gauff to enlighten her path. Remember how he dropped a heartwarming message on social media last year, following her honest confession on coming out of a “dark” phase on the court?

When dad Corey instilled motivation in Coco Gauff through a morale boosting message

Back in 2023, Coco Gauff was knocked out in the first round of the Wimbledon. She lost to a 128-ranked compatriot, Sofia Kennin. But guess what? Two months later, the then 17-year-old accomplished her slam dream at the Flushing Meadows. In the epic final, she outplayed Aryna Sabalenka to become the first American teenager to lift the US Open, since her idol Serena Williams in 1999.

The next year, in 2024, she came back strongly at the All England Club. This time, she not only won her first round match but went on to reach the fourth round at the Wimbledon before losing to compatriot Emma Navarro. After registering her victory in the R128, Gauff introspected, “Oh, man, I wish a year ago, me after that match could see me now,” reported WTA’s website in July 2024. “That was a tough moment for me. I think the first two, three weeks after that, I was really in a dark place.”

“It was tough for me to realize I have so much time,” she added. “When that happens you just feel the weight of everything on you.” A year later, thinking about her growth as a player, she said, “I’m glad I used that moment to just strive to get better. I still know I’m nowhere near where I can be. I think that experience taught me that a bad moment doesn’t last forever.”

After this confession of hers, father Corey shared his reaction while giving key life lessons to Gauff in a heartfelt message on Instagram. Sharing her version of comments, emphasizing on ‘growth’, he wrote, “As you go through life it’s supposed to have highs and lows but never stay low and upset to long. If not for the rain days would you appreciate the sunny days?”

He continued, “This is what growth looks like and what parents want to see in their kids and help them to grow and mature. I firmly believe if you try do the right things every day you will improve and have success.”

What else does a daughter needs? Nothing more than such words to reignite the fire. Do you think Coco Gauff will bounce back this season after receiving a touching Easter message from her dad? Can it help her find the winning momentum in her on-court journey going forward?