Remember when Coco Gauff said, “I don’t taunt or bully or cheat. But if they ask me to go easy, I won’t”? That’s Coco for you, even when she’s just playing around with her brothers! And honestly, who can blame her? In today’s tennis, you don’t win a Grand Slam before you’re 20 by being soft. That win over Sabalenka? That takes serious fire. But here’s the thing, that competitive edge isn’t just for the court. She just showed us another side of it, and trust me, it wasn’t with a tennis racquet. Think Hollywood, big night, no tennis involved.

The biggest night in the entertainment industry has wrapped up live from LA, the 97th Oscars! Film lovers, fashionistas, and Hollywood’s elite individuals gathered for the grand spectacle, where ‘Spanish-language’ musical Emilia Pérez led with 13 nominations. “Anora” emerged as the biggest winner of the night, while ‘Conclave’, ‘The Brutalist’, and ‘Wicked’ also claimed prestigious honors. However, the night wasn’t just about entertainment and cinema: it was a historic moment in fashion as well, especially for tennis.

Coco Gauff made a show-stopping debut. The current 3rd seed stunned in a ‘chic yellow gown’, accessorized with a sleek ‘gold watch’ and delicate jewelry. And, just before the star-studded evening officially began, the tennis ace made her presence felt with a captivating opening speech on the red carpet.

Just before the event unfolds, Coco had an interview session with Amelia Dimoldenberg on the red carpet, where the American talked about her competitive field outside of tennis. “Uh definitely! But more like when it comes to like on court staff. Off the court, I mean like board games and staff, like, of course, UNO, like I get a lot of fights for that but, this, I am just like here for the vibes, just enjoying it I’m just trying to take it all in. Yes, everyone is a winner,” she revealed.

The 3rd seed’s passion for UNO is unmatched. Take last year’s China Open, for instance, where Gauff humorously credited her parents for letting her win in the UNO game after winning the cup. “And thank you to my mom. She’s here. She’s been playing UNO, letting me win at UNO, and my dad too,” she added.

Then there was her playful debate with 23-time GS champion Serena Williams over UNO’s “Draw 2” rule. While the official guidelines state that players can’t ‘stack’ them, Williams insists otherwise, but Gauff refuses to accept the ruling at all.

And let’s not forget Coco’s lighthearted feud with fellow tennis pro ‘Christopher Eubanks’, who, according to Gauff, kept tweaking the UNO rules in the middle of a game to tilt things in his favor. “Us listening to @chriseubanks changing the UNO rules like 1 million times to work in his favor,” she joked in 2022 in her IG stories.

Whether on the court or at the game table of UNO, Gauff’s competitive streak always shines through! And right before the interview ended, Coco also shared her thoughts about not being used to the glam of Oscar night. 

Gauff confesses her first visit to the Hollywood events

The 9-time singles title winner made a stunning entrance at the ‘Dolby Theatre’ in LA, along with her mother Candi, gracing the red carpet in a custom ‘Miu Miu yellow gown adorned with “dazzling crystal embellishments”. She also completed her elegant look with ‘diamond earrings’, a gold Rolex, and a ‘sleek chignon’. 

In the same interview, when asked about her red carpet preparation before coming to the Oscars, the American star admitted that as a tennis player, she wasn’t accustomed to such glamorous transformations. “It was a lot. Hair, makeup, the whole do. I play tennis, so I’m not used to this glam, but it’s nice to get dressed for the day,” Gauff added.

Gauff is gearing up for action at the BNP Paribas Open, kicking off on March 5, as she sets her sights on her first WTA 1000 title of 2025. Her intense training at the University of California, LA, comes after the 3rd seed faced some challenging setbacks in the Middle East, suffering early exits in both the Qatar and Dubai Opens, respectively.

As she returns to the court for the prestigious ‘Sunshine Double’, will she be able to bounce back and reclaim her winning form after the star-studded night? Share your thoughts below!