Coco Gauff knows how to shake off a tough week on the court. After an early exit from both the Qatar Open and the Dubai Tennis Championships, the 20-year-old tennis sensation is making the most of her time off in the most entertaining way possible—by hitting the paintball field with her friends.
The World No. 3, who has been vocal about maintaining a fun and balanced approach to her career, recently shared glimpses of her latest adventure and even proposed an unusual way to resolve conflicts.
“Paintball is fun lol. If we have beef let’s squash it out here,”
she wrote on her Instagram story, playfully inviting anyone with a grudge to settle it with a friendly paintball match.
From Tennis Court to Paintball Arena: Gauff’s Playful Off-Court Escape
Despite a disappointing Middle East swing, where she faced early defeats at the hands of Marta Kostyuk in Doha and McCartney Kessler in Dubai, Gauff isn’t letting setbacks define her season. Instead, she’s prioritizing moments of joy outside of the tennis circuit—something she has emphasized as a key part of her mindset shift.
Her recent paintball outing is just one of many ways the reigning US Open champion keeps things light when she’s not training. Apart from wielding a paintball gun, Gauff also enjoys escape rooms, a hobby she frequently shares with fellow American tennis stars Ben Shelton and Christopher Eubanks.
A Fun-Loving Champion with a Balanced Approach
This isn’t the first time Gauff has spoken about the importance of keeping things fun. At the 2024 Australian Open, she reflected on how she incorporates leisure into her training regimen, ensuring she doesn’t burn out.
“When I’m at home, there’s never two weeks I’m practising where I’m not doing something with my friends in between. So it’s like, ‘Why would I do that in a tournament?'”
Whether it’s bowling, mini-golf, movies, or now paintball, the young tennis star finds ways to recharge amid the relentless grind of the WTA tour.
“Mentally, I think I’ve just changed the way I approach the game. Coming to it with a more fun approach, more so than a pressure type of thing,”
Gearing Up for the Indian Wells Open
While she enjoys her downtime, Gauff remains focused on the road ahead. Next on her schedule is the 2025 Indian Wells Open, kicking off on March 5. She’ll be looking to improve on last year’s run, where she reached the semifinals before falling to Maria Sakkari.
With her refreshed mindset and commitment to balancing work and play, fans are eager to see how she bounces back on the court. And who knows? Maybe a friendly paintball battle is just the secret weapon she needs to come back stronger!
I am a writer with a passion for technology and gaming. I write about a variety of subjects, including Esports, Games, Shows, and Sports. I create engaging and informative content for Hiptoro.