Over the years, we have seen many bizarre rituals during tennis matches. Take the example of Rafael Nadal. Every time he got back on the court after mid-game intervals, Nadal used to arrange his bottles in the exact same direction. The Spaniard followed this over the years, which became one of his trademark rituals. The superstitions have carried into the current generation of players as well and even the players’ support staff is getting involved. Ask Coco Gauff, who beautifully described her mother’s bizarre ritual during her matches.

The American sensation is on a high and won the China Open title last week. Ending her title drought, Gauff defeated Karolina Muchova in straight sets to clinch the title. Interestingly, her mother, Candi, was also present inside the stadium, as she cheered for her daughter during the summit clash. Additionally, she also performed a ritual that eventually proved to be a lucky charm for Gauff.

Taking to her official Instagram handle, Gauff said, “It’s my mom immediately taking off her jacket to show her coco shirt. One thing about my mom she’ gonna wear something with her kids’ face/name on it. Also the shirt is on newbalance.com if you want it. Might as well use my mom as a free billboard lol love her.”

Coco Gauff’s mother played a massive role in her career. She sacrificed her career to ensure Gauff followed her dream of becoming a world-class player. The American sensation once even highlighted her ‘privileged status’ and how her parents were huge pillars of support for her.

Additionally, Candi is often seen attending her daughter’s matches and cheering for her. There was a nice exchange of words between the mother-daughter duo after Gauff won the China Open title.

Coco Gauff gets a stirring tribute from her mother after China Open win

After the highs of the 2023 season during which she won the US Open title, it hasn’t been an easy season for Gauff. She won just a solitary title before coming into the China Open, a significantly less number for a player of her stature. Nonetheless, she kept working hard and eventually achieved success in Beijing.

After lifting the China Open trophy, Gauff shared glimpses of that moment on Instagram and wrote, “I’m happy with the fight I showed during the past two weeks here in Beijing and very grateful to walk away with the @chinaopen title. Thank you for all of the love and support!” Reacting to this, her mother Candi, commented, “Amazing fight!!!! Never say die!!!” Indeed, Gauff’s mother left a deep meaning in few words as she praised her daughter’s resilience to come back stronger every time she felt down and out.

Further, Gauff also paid tribute to her mother during the post-match interview, saying, “And thank you to my mom. She’s here. She’s been playing Uno, letting me win at Uno and my dad too.” It has been a memorable past few days for Gauff and she would look to continue her winning run when she begins her campaign in Wuhan next.