Gauff unveils new hobbies and skills with Mattek-Sands

Bethanie Mattek-Sands caught up with Coco Gauff to see how she's handling the new quarantine era. The 16-year-old recently celebrated a birthday in isolation, and is hiding out at home in Florida with her family. She's luckier than most as she's got a tennis court and little brothers to spend time with.

Here are five takeaways from the interview:

1

She's learning new skills

Gauff has been experimenting with makeup and focusing on her schoolwork. She's taking English, biology and French right now.

"I read better than I speak," she said, about her French skills. "I've only just been doing it twice a week for like three weeks now, so I'm still like beginner."

She added that she'd hopefully be able to understand some French by September's Roland Garros.

While she misses eating out at restaurants and Chik-Fil-A, Gauff has embraced learning how to bake and cook (she tackled fried Oreos recently). And while she could be improving her driving skills, it's not a priority.

"I haven’t actually driven since quarantine," the world No. 52 said. "I don’t really like driving to be honest. I need to do better at my parking."

2

TikTok is life

Gauff's family home is full of fun options including corn hole, video games, Ping-Pong, foosball and basketball.

"Cameron is bored," Gauff said of her youngest brother. "He complains that all the time there’s nothing to do even though we have foosball, Ping-Pong, all of that. Cody has been on the game, Fortnight, and I’ve just been TikToking."

Mattek-Sands asked for help getting her start on TikTok, and Gauff guided her to TikTok guru Charli D'aMelio.

"Go on her page and do one of the dances she does," she suggested. "'Renegade' is always in—that’s the most common TikTok dance."

3

She's still playing tennis

Even though the tours are shutdown until, at least, mid-July, Gauff is putting in the hard work. Her neighborhood has a private court so she can train safely.

With the increasingly real possibility of tennis returning without live crowds, Gauff is willing to make it work.

"For sure it would be weird," she said. "I'd much rather be on outside courts rather than an empty stadium, but I would do it if that’s what it has to take because I miss playing, I miss competing."

4

A tattoo is in her future

Tennis' new tattoo king Nick Kyrgios might have some advice for the teenager, who said she really wants to get a small tattoo. Gauff's mom has four tattoos, and her dad "never really cared about any of that stuff" so she's all set. The only thing holding her back is not wanting to sit still in a chair for so long.

Mattek-Sands knows a thing or two about ink as well, with a big floral design on her bicep and her husband Justin's name on her finger (he has her name on his forearm, though much larger).

5

Her TV suggestions

Mattek-Sands is apparently the only person on planet Earth who hasn't watched Tiger King, while Gauff recommends All American, which is inspired by the life of a pro footballer, and is about to start Ozark.

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