"There’s been progress, but it’s still not where we want it to be" - Gauff offers contrasting update on everlasting prize money dispute

Coco Gauff has given an update on the ongoing battle between the players and tennis organisation over prize money, with her admitting that they are not quite there yet.

She touched this and more in her press conference ahead of her return to the Australian Open, as she looks to tick another Grand Slam off. "I’m really excited to be back here and excited to start off the Grand Slam season," she began.

She does not have to wait long for her campaign to get up and running. On Monday, she will take on Kamilla Rakhimova in the opening round. "She’s a great player and a good baseliner," she said, reminiscing on their last matchup. "I remember our match in China — it was a tough first set and then I was able to run away with it in the second. I think it’ll be a tough one. I haven’t thought about it too much yet."

Despite being world number three, Gauff has had her demons on court, specifically with her serve which has let her down in the past and seen her engulfed into some titanic matches. However, her forehand has also been an area of focus, with Gauff working hard on it.

One reporter picked up a specific technique she uses, involving her to hop into it off the back leg, mostly when on the defensive. "It’s something I work on. I honestly don’t remember the first time I hit that shot, and I don’t recall anyone ever teaching it to me. It just kind of happened," she admitted. "I work on making it more consistent and better now, but I’ve been doing it for a while. Sorry, I wish I had a better answer."

It is also not strategic, just how she hits the forehand. "It’s not really strategic. I think it’s just when I’m on defence. Instead of squatting down like a lot of girls do, with the type of forehand I have, it’s better to do that — which is what most of the guys do. I have a bigger swing, so it’s better to give myself room. Some players, like Kerber, can squat and hit it because she has a much shorter swing than I do."

One of the big topics in the sport is the players constant fight against the Grand Slams and tennis organisations for more prize money and fairer revenue percentages received at these events. While there are some improvements, as commented by Gauff, the American is still not satisfied with where they are at.

"From my understanding, prize money has increased this year, which is good, but the percentage of revenue comparison is still not where we would like it to be," she acknowledged.

"There are still further conversations that need to be had, not just with the Australian Open but with all the Slams. We have player representatives who have been working really hard on this for us, because we can’t always be there in person. From my last update, the collective feeling is that yes, there’s been progress, but it’s still not where we want it to be. That said, we are grateful for the progress that has been made."

This will not be the last we hear of this topic, with more conversations to be held throughout the year. "I imagine there will continue to be more meetings," Gauff confirmed. "The French Open meeting was the big one that I was part of and where I saw a lot of players involved. No one wants this conversation to go on for years and years, so I imagine the discussions will continue, and maybe more pressure will be applied, especially from the top 10."

While she has previously joked about her poor form at Melbourne Park, she has achieved a semi-final in 2024 followed by a last-eight appearance 12 months ago. For most players it is a very good return, but Gauff is no normal tennis player. She expects results, trophies, which have not cropped up in this particular event.

It’s kind of crazy. I guess I should be proud of the semi-final here," she stated. "But after winning a Grand Slam, nothing feels as satisfying as that. The only non-win result I think I’d be completely satisfied with is making the quarter-finals at Wimbledon, because I’ve lost in the fourth round so many times."

She is still trying to stay grounded. "That doesn’t mean I’m not proud of myself when I lose. Even the year I lost in the semis, I was proud of that tournament. It’s just that satisfying and being proud are two different feelings. It’s not really satisfying unless you win."

There have been a huge variety of ups and downs in Gauff's tennis career. Take 2025 as an example. She has a tremendous clay swing, reaching two WTA 1000 finals before lifting the Roland Garros trophy. She then fails to win a match on grass before enduring a horrifying North American hardcourt swing. The American then goes and wins the Wuhan Open.

From the extraordinary highs to the daunting lows, it really is a rollercoaster ride for Gauff. Nevertheless, she believes the consistency will emerge once she ages a few years, highlighting that she is only 21-years-old. "Consistency is definitely a goal, but I also look at it as life. A 25- or 26-year-old is usually more consistent than a 21-year-old, and I kind of see it that way," she said.

While she expects improvements in the future, that does not prevent her from wanting this now. "That said, I do want to be more consistent and give it my all in every match. I think a lot of it stems from my serve — having really good days and really bad days. The more consistent that stroke becomes, the more consistent my results will be."

Gauff's One Point Slam was over before it even began. After failing to get a serve in, she was dumped out of the event and the chance to take home $1 million. That lucrative prize pot went the way of Jordan Smith, an amateur tennis player from New South Wales in a heart-warming story.

The two-time Grand Slam admitted that it was huge hit. "It was really cool, and no — I don’t hope to redeem myself. I’ll play again for sure, but I didn’t expect to win. I was telling everyone that wasn’t going to happen," she said.

It was the perfect scenario for her with Smith taking home the money. "I wanted an amateur to win, and I think the best-case scenario happened. We had an amateur in the final, and Joanna [Garland] became a celebrity overnight, which was really cool."

There were improvements that could have been made, with many players unable to qualify for a match on Rod Laver. "My only note is that the qualifying rounds were really intense — some people had to win six matches just to get to Rod Laver Arena. There were some great stories that didn’t make it to the main stage, like a guy promoting paraplegic tennis and an older woman with the best outfit. I’d love to see more of those stories on Rod Laver," she concluded.