As Coco Gauff gears up to defend her US Open title this month, she’s also creating waves off the court with the debut of her second signature shoe with New Balance.
The tennis prodigy, who captured her first Grand Slam in New York City less than a year ago, is continuing to make an impact in the world of sportswear despite recent failures on the tennis courts.
Coco Gauff’s new shoe inspired by New Balance 550
The new shoe, titled the Coco CG2, is a development of Gauff’s first signature style and pays homage to the New Balance 550, a legendary sneaker from 1989.
This publication is timed ideally as Gauff prepares to compete at this year’s US Open, where she will strive to emulate her former success.
“The 550 is one of my favorite sneakers to wear off the court. It’s so vintage, and I love its ’90s-inspired basketball influence,” Gauff remarked.
“The basketball stitching on the tongue is one of my favorite touches. I wanted to integrate this into the CG2 while keeping it distinctive to me, so we added a tennis ball instead.”
The Coco CG2 will premiere in an “oxidized blue and yellow” colorway, which draws inspiration from the Statue of Liberty and the brilliant lights of New York City.
Priced at $170, the shoe has a multi-density FuelCell midsole and an incorporated carbon fiber plate for better performance on the court.
Gauff’s new signature shoe features personal touches, including the letters ‘CG’-a homage to both her and her family.
“Family is so important to me, and the details are small reminders that feel like they’re with me on the court,” she continued.
New Balance counting on Coco Gauff’s marketability
New Balance is boosting the availability of the CG2 compared to Gauff’s first signature model, with more pairs likely to be on the market.
“We kept the CG1 pretty tight,” explained Josh Wilder, senior product line manager for New Balance’s tennis line.
“We didn’t want to blast it out of the water. We’re developing something with Coco, and we knew that.”
The creation of the CG2 began in fall 2022, shortly after the introduction of the CG1.
“Coco was still getting used to [the CG1], and that’s when we started to bring her CG2 conversations and concepts,” said Evan Zeder, New Balance’s head of global sports marketing for tennis and baseball.
As Gauff continues to excel on the court, with a recent US Open singles title and a French Open doubles title under her belt, her connection with New Balance is likely to deepen.
“It all kind of happened concurrently,” Zeder noted of the re-signing and the new shoe development.
The US Open is set to begin on Monday, August 26, with the women’s final scheduled to take place on Saturday, September 7 at Flushing Meadows, New York.
