Tennis sensation Coco Gauff made a surprise appearance on Monday at the newly refurbished tennis courts at Joe Brown Park in New Orleans East, much to the delight of local tennis enthusiasts and young players. The visit celebrated the completion of the courts, which underwent renovation as part of the US Open Legacy Initiative—a nod to Gauff's 2023 US Open women's singles title.
According to a report by the City of New Orleans, the United States Tennis Association (USTA) pledged $3 million, a sum equal to Gauff's 2023 prize money, to the refurbishment of public tennis courts nationwide. This investment was intended to quickly connect high-level tennis to communities across the country, with more than 100 facilities seeing improvements, including over 700 tennis courts. The Gauff family chose the New Orleans project specifically, citing deep roots in 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," Gauff told the City of New Orleans. Brian Vahaly, Chairman of the Board and Interim Co-CEO, USTA, highlighted the reach of the Legacy Initiative, stating, "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."
The event also spotlighted the work of local non-profit A's & Aces, which aims to positively impact the youth through tennis and education. "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," Anna Monhartova, Co-Founder of A's & Aces, said in a statement obtained by the city's news service. Larry Barabino, Jr., CEO of NORD Commission, also emphasized the significant influence of such an event in the area, “Seeing Coco Gauff on these courts is a powerful moment for New Orleans East," according to the same source, as stated on the same news.
The site now features a plaque recognizing the renovation in honor of Gauff's US Open win, marking the end of the US Open Legacy Initiative, which hit its $3 million funding goal this past summer. This initiative has left a lasting impact on a national scale, refurbishing facilities and inspiring communities with the example of champions like Gauff.
