NEW ORLEANS — Two-time Grand Slam singles champion Coco Gauff surprised a local tennis clinic in New Orleans East on Monday, visiting the tennis facility that was recently refurbished in her honor.
The 10 courts at Joe Brown Park were refurbished earlier this year as part of the US Open Legacy Initiative, which was launched in recognition of Gauff’s 2023 US Open women’s singles title. As part of the initiative, the USTA pledged $3 million–equivalent to Gauff’s prize money in 2023–to refurbish public tennis courts across the country. The New Orleans project was hand-picked by the Gauff family due to the family’s extensive ties to the city.
“New Orleans has a super close place in my heart and to be able to be back here is really cool,” said Coco Gauff. “To be able to do this initiative with the USTA is amazing.”
“The US Open Legacy Initiative, and the celebration of our 2023 Women’s Singles Champion Coco Gauff, has allowed us to support more than 100 facilities across the country and connect the highest level of our sport to local communities, said Brian Vahaly, Chairman of the Board and Interim Co-CEO, USTA. “By refurbishing the public courts at Joe W. Brown Park, we are expanding access to the game and giving more players a better place to play. We are grateful to partner with New Orleans on this project and proud to support a facility that will benefit the community for years to come.”
Monday’s event featured a clinic run by local non-profit A’s and Aces, which offers programs and events at the Joe W. Brown Park courts. A’s & Aces is a chapter of the USTA Foundation’s National Junior Tennis & Learning network, which features more than 270 organizations nationwide that offer free or low-cost tennis, education, and life-skills programming to young people from under-resourced communities.
“It was an amazing day to have someone like Coco come to our community and to our courts,which were redone with USTA funding, in her name and to honor her US Open win,” said Anna Monhartova, Co-Founder, A’s & Aces. “It was just exciting to see all the children, all of the families, and the community come together through our partnership with the city and the USTA. It is just something that will be memorable for everyone for the rest of their lives.”
“Seeing Coco Gauff on these courts is a powerful moment for New Orleans East,” said Larry Barabino, Jr., CEO of NORD Commission. “This community is full of potential and talent. These renovated courts give our youth a space to play, grow, and be inspired, showing them that their hard work and dreams can lead to real success, and that champions can rise from neighborhoods just like theirs. We are grateful to Coco, her family, and USTA for their commitment to our young people, and we also deeply appreciate our partnership with A’s & Aces, whose support helps bring these programs and opportunities to life.”
The event not only served as a celebration of the New Orleans project, but also marked the conclusion of the US Open Legacy Initiative, which hit its $3 million funding goal this summer. In total, the Legacy Initiative impacted more than 100 facilities, funding improvements for more than 700 tennis courts across the country. Each impacted facility received a plaque noting the courts were refurbished in honor of Gauff’s US Open triumph.