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Coco Gauff debuted her new signature shoe with New Balance at the Atlanta Open on Sunday night, marking a significant sponsorship step in the American phenom’s young career.
Gauff showed off the “NB Coco CG1” during an exhibition match after a two-year development process with New Balance. According to Forbes, the 18-year-old becomes the only active women’s tennis player to have her own sneaker and the only other active player, man or woman, besides Roger Federer with signature footwear.
The “NB Coco CG1” will be released to the public on Aug. 26.
“We looked at this opportunity to enter into a category that doesn’t have signature and have a female lead that,” Evan Zeder, head of tennis sports marketing at New Balance, told Forbes. “It puts us at a different place and puts her at a different place. We are building off where she is going and not what she has done, using that as a starting place.”
Gauff had a major role in the development of the shoe, beginning with vision meetings with New Balance soon after she signed with the company back in 2018. She was then involved in various stages of testing the product before finally settling on the innovative, ’90s-inspired shoe.
“I feel like I’m learning every day and trying to stay in the moment for every detail,” Gauff told Forbes. “I do feel I’ve brought some knowledge too. I’ve seen New Balance evolve so much in my short time, and I’m glad they’re so open to my input and hearing my generation’s interests.”
The debut colorway for the shoe is titled “Pompey” after Pompey Park, where Gauff grew up playing tennis in Delray Beach, Fla. New Balance has announced that additional colorways, including one inspired by the U.S. Open, will continue to be revealed in 2023.
“There are a lot of colors still to come,” Gauff said, per Forbes. “I love the time I get with the design team. I just met with them recently, and we reviewed some new designs, so I am excited to keep this fresh.”
Gauff’s first signature shoe release comes during a career year on the court. The rising American star is fresh off of a quarterfinal appearance at Wimbledon after reaching her first Grand Slam final at the French Open in June.
“I’m beyond humbled,” she said, per Forbes, “by the opportunity to design a shoe, so I may tear up just seeing it on people’s feet.”
