Coco Gauff on Protein-Maxxing, Her First Labubu, and Dressing Up for the US Open

There was a time when being on a Wheaties box was the pinnacle of athletic fame. But today, the new status symbol is a smoothie collaboration, and tennis star Coco Gauff is the latest to add her name to a signature beverage. Gauff’s Protein Pineapple Orange Smoothie launches from Naked Smoothies this week—and, of course, her face is on the bottle.

The idea traces back to a memeable moment: Gauff at the US Open two years ago, eating fruit salad while arguing with a ref. “That’s just something I’ve been doing since I was little,” she laughs—fighting with refs and snacking courtside.

When we meet, it’s a rare quiet moment for Gauff, sitting at her Naked pop-up in Soho, which will open to the public later that evening, and just days before she faces off against Ajla Tomljanović in the first round of the US Open. Hours earlier, the internet was awash with the news that Gauff had fired coach Matthew Daly and replaced him with Gavin MacMillan, who has previously worked with Aryna Sabalenka. Gauff seems cool as a cucumber about it all. “I’ve made some changes recently, so I’m very excited for that and I’m just trying to trust the process,” she says.

But we’re here to talk about smoothies. “[Naked] was like, we have this idea, would you be down to do a smoothie? And I was like, yeah, as long as I can make sure I get my input.” The result? Real fruit juice, coconut water, and a whopping 20 grams of plant protein. I asked her if she “protein-maxxes”—she’s a Gen Zer, after all. “It’s definitely important, but I don’t actually count whatever protein I’m eating,” Gauff says. “I just make sure it’s part of every meal.”

For breakfast, she opts for either eggs or a smoothie. (Though the eggs are hit or miss—“I go through weird phases where either I like them or I don’t, so the smoothie helps.”) For dinner, she keeps it simple. “I don’t like to eat red meat during tournaments,” she says, so she goes for chicken and fingerling potatoes, the latter of which she describes with extra enthusiasm. “And I’m a big salad person,” she adds.

Style is also part of Gauff’s game plan: She’ll debut a new kit at the US Open, with looks from Miu Miu and New Balance. “The whole campaign behind it is super cool,” she teases. “I’m going to get my nails redone to match it, and I haven’t decided what jewelry I’m going to pair with it. I just got it at the hotel today, so I have to figure that out.” Decisions, decisions. “We’re one of the few sports where that level of fashion can exist,” she adds. “I got to work with Miu Miu, who I feel like is really hopping on that trend with the chore skirts and crop tops. It’s really cool.”

How else will Gauff prepare for the upcoming tournament? “I usually try to meditate, maybe two days before. I don’t do it every tournament—we play literally every week—but for the big ones, I do it.” She also takes a mindful approach to online fodder: Gauff is active on TikTok and Instagram, but makes sure to limit her screen time. “Luckily there haven’t been any terrible [headlines] about me, but during the tournament I try not to read as much just to stay focused. But definitely before and after, I am someone that will indulge and see what’s being said—and hoping that it’s good things.”