• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

Tennessee linebacker Arion Carter was suspended over a $427 flight—now he's donating that amount to charity for every tackle he makes this season

2

Current price of silver as of Monday, September 8, 2026

3

Current price of oil as of September 8, 2026

1

Tennessee linebacker Arion Carter was suspended over a $427 flight—now he's donating that amount to charity for every tackle he makes this season

2

Current price of silver as of Monday, September 8, 2026

3

Current price of oil as of September 8, 2026
SuccessSports

Tennis star Coco Gauff heads into the U.S. Open quarterfinals without having lost a single set—playing with ‘no regrets’ made her more successful

Emma Burleigh
By
Emma Burleigh
Emma Burleigh
Reporter, Success
Down Arrow Button Icon
Emma Burleigh
By
Emma Burleigh
Emma Burleigh
Reporter, Success
Down Arrow Button Icon
September 9, 2026, 11:51 AM ET
Coco Gauff
Coco Gauff leaves her mistakes in the past, and doesn’t view losses as “opportunities lost.” That mindset put her one step closer to reclaiming the U.S. Open title.Matthew Stockman / Staff / Getty Images
Google source logo
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

At an age when most of her peers are turning their tassels and heading into their first-time jobs, tennis superstar Coco Gauff is on a tear at the U.S. Open. The 22-year-old is heading into the tournament’s quarterfinal match tonight—and is one step closer to reclaiming the title she won in 2023.

Recommended Video

Gauff has put together a whirlwind performance at the 2026 U.S. Open. The Florida native most recently faced off against fellow American Iva Jovic Monday night, taking home a 6-1, 6-4 win and becoming one of the tournament’s final eight competitors. Her string of four straight singles victories at the tournament was preceded by a run to the Wimbledon semifinals and a Cincinnati title just weeks before the 2026 U.S. Open. Gauff hasn’t lost a single set in New York City competition so far—and the fourth-seeded player credited a change in mindset to her triumphs. 

“The biggest difference in the way I’ve been playing is just trying to play with no regrets,” Gauff said after her Monday win against Jovic. “I think I have a lot more fun and success playing like this.”

The Gen Z athlete is one of six U.S. players to advance to this stage of the U.S. Open—the greatest number of Americans to have made the quarterfinals since 2002—according to the United States Tennis Association. And as the last American woman to win the singles title back in 2023, Gauff is now competing to reclaim the title in Arthur Ashe Stadium. Tonight, she will hit the courts against 19-year-old Russian Mirra Andreeva, the fifth-seed rising star and reigning French Open champion. While Gauff has yet to drop the ball and lose a set, she’s stuck true to the mindset of letting mistakes go and trusting her game.

“I think I’m doing a good job of when I maybe miss opportunities or lose some games, just keeping it in the past and focusing on the present,” Gauff said. “I don’t view it as opportunities lost sometimes. I try to just view it as what to do better and just trusting that I’ll be in the same position again.”

Gauff earns $35.5 million—and will take home at least $780K at the U.S. Open 

Gauff has become one of tennis’s most recognizable names through her eight-year professional run. 

The world tuned into her talent when she was only 15 years old—one year into her professional career—as Gauff made history as the youngest to qualify for Wimbledon’s main draw. And in the years since, the professional athlete hasn’t quit breaking records and taking names. In 2023, she became the youngest American to win the U.S. Open singles title since Serena Williams in 1999; she’d go on to claim the 2025 French Open singles title, her second Grand Slam singles victory. Gauff has also been crowned world number one in doubles and world number two in singles, according to the Women’s Tennis Association. Gauff was also the U.S. flag bearer for the Paris 2024 Olympics—making her the youngest American flag bearer in U.S. Olympic history. 

On and off the court, Gauff is collecting big checks for her partnerships and accomplishments. Gauff was crowned the highest-paid female athlete in the world in both 2025 and 2024, according to Forbes. And this year, she was the fifth highest-paid of anyone in sports, earning a whopping $35.5 million—$7.5 million on the field and $28 million off the tennis green. Aside from prize money from two singles titles in 2025, including the French Open, she made bank through endorsements and brand deals. Her sponsorships include Mercedes-Benz, Chase Bank, Rolex, and New Balance; and in 2025, Gauff has also launched her own management firm, Coco Gauff Enterprises, with talent agency WME to “take greater ownership of my career.”

“As I’ve gotten older, I don’t want to just be a face of brands, but also be the brand,” Gauff told Forbes last year. “My dad has always said that this was his plan for me when I was younger, and it was up to me if I wanted to hop on board or not. And when I became 18, I knew that this is something that I wanted to work for.”

Tonight, Gauff will walk away from the quarterfinal match hundreds of thousands of dollars richer—win or lose. If her 19-year-old opponent walks away victorious, then the American player will take home the round’s prize money of $780,000. And if Gauff continues her four-win streak this tournament, then the honeypot only grows larger: $1,450,000 for semifinalists, $2,800,000 for the runner-up, and $5,500,000 for the winner of the women’s singles competition. 

Fortune Daily breaks the traditional barrier between audience and newsroom. The show transforms Fortune’s trusted reporting into actionable, conversational, and entertaining insights for an emerging class of business leaders. Watch here.
About the Author
Emma Burleigh
By Emma BurleighReporter, Success

Emma Burleigh is a reporter at Fortune, covering success, careers, entrepreneurship, and personal finance. Before joining the Success desk, she co-authored Fortune’s CHRO Daily newsletter, extensively covering the workplace and the future of jobs. Emma has also written for publications including the Observer and The China Project, publishing long-form stories on culture, entertainment, and geopolitics. She has a joint-master’s degree from New York University in Global Journalism and East Asian Studies.

See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
Google source logo
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Latest in Success


Most Popular

Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • TikTok icon
  • YouTube icon

    Latest in Success


    Most Popular

    © 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
    FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.