"Not even money-wise, it would just be more fun for me": Coco Gauff supports potential future ATP and WTA merger idea

America’s tennis star Coco Gauff has backed the idea of a merger of the ATP and WTA tours for the betterment of the players.

The 19-year-old is one of the most highly-rated players currently playing in the circuit in the women’s singles category. Gauff lived up to the hype in the 2023 season where she lifted the US Open after beating the current world number two Belarus’ Aryna Sabalenka in the final with a score of 2–6, 6–3, 6–2.

There has been a discussion going on for quite some time about the possible merger of two tours to have a unified body representing both women’s and men’s tennis in the future. Gauff has recently been quoted in a report where she backed the idea of merging the two tours as it will help the players.

“I definitely think it would help women, especially the women's side of the game,” she said. “I find that when I'm at combined events I just feel like the energy amongst the crowd is better. For most of the events it's equal prize money when they're combined.

“Yeah, definitely will help our side of the game. And I just feel like I generally enjoy when both men and women are at the same tournaments just because I have also friends on the guys' side. Not even money-wise, it would just be more fun for me as a player around the grounds. Yeah, I definitely think it would help us a lot. Hopefully one day it could be a possibility.”

Gauff is currently taking part in the Australian Open where she has already booked in the semifinal after beating Ukraine’s Marta Kostyuk in the quarterfinal with a score of 7-6, 6-7, 6-2. She will now face Sabalenka in the last four of the first Grand Slam of the year on Thursday.