- - Coco Gauff Details 1 Unexpected Thing She Did with Her Boyfriend to Watch Venus Williams’ DC Open Match (Exclusive)

Skyler CarusoAugust 18, 2025 at 11:01 PM

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Coco Gauff and Venus Williams -

Coco Gauff spoke with PEOPLE exclusively about the unexpected thing she made while watching Venus Williams' victorious DC Open match on July 22

The 21-year-old tennis star praised the seven-time Grand Slam champion for her "longevity" in the game and her ability to perform at a high level for decades

Gauff shared details about the launch of her very own Protein Pineapple Orange Smoothie, which she created in partnership with Naked Smoothie for the brand's first-ever signature drink

Talent respects talent.

Coco Gauff spoke with PEOPLE exclusively about watching Venus Williams' history-making win during the Mubadala Citi DC Open match on July 22, and revealed the one unexpected thing she did while watching: cook dinner.

"I never cook, but I made dinner that night... Dinner and everything because I was so excited to watch her play," the 21-year-old tennis pro told PEOPLE exclusively of the seven-time Grand Slam champion after her victorious match against 23-year-old Peyton Stearns.

"That was the first match I've been excited to watch in a while. My boyfriend was with me and I was just like, 'Oh my gosh, I can't wait,' " she shared, looking back on the thrilling event she witnessed alongside her partner, who she's been privately dating since 2023.

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Coco Gauff attends the 2025 Vanity Fair Oscar party in March

"She was after Ben Shelton, and I was like, 'Ben needs to wrap this up. I can't wait to see Venus,' " she joked about her close friend and fellow tennis pro, who won his first ATP Masters 1000 title at Canada’s National Bank Open against Karen Khachanov in Toronto on Aug. 7.

Further, Gauff — who teamed up with Naked Smoothies to drop the brand's first-ever signature drink, the Protein Pineapple Orange Smoothie, on Aug. 18 — expressed her admiration for Williams' athletic talents, praising her performance beyond the victorious DC Open match.

"I think for women's tennis it's great just to see the longevity that we can have, especially in a sport like tennis," she told PEOPLE exclusively. "I don't think it's really that common in any other sport except maybe golf to have this longevity."

"And I think it's great to see an icon like her still performing at a high level for, at this point, decades, which is impressive," the tennis star continued. "I don't think I will be able to do that... and I don't think too many players can or will be able to do that."

"So I think we should cherish the moment while it's here," she concluded of Williams' remarkable presence in the game.

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Venus Williams wins match against Peyton Stearns at the 2025 DC Open on July 22

Williams became the oldest player to win a tour-level singles match since 47-year-old Martina Navratilova defeated Catalina Castano at Wimbledon in 2004 upon earning a victory in straight sets against Stearns at the DC Open.

However, Williams lost to 27-year-old Magdalena Frech in the second round of the tournament on July 24. She has not won back-to-back matches since 2019.

Despite Gauff telling PEOPLE that she "definitely won't be playing in [her] forties" like Williams, she is taking the proper steps now to aid her health and fitness to ensure her personal longevity in the game is top-notch.

Fueling her body is a priority for the professional tennis player, which is why she's "excited" to team back up with Naked Smoothies to launch a smoothie of her own in the lead up to the U.S. Open this year.

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Coco Gauff in action against Lucia Bronzetti of Italy in the fourth round on Day 8 of the Cincinnati Open at Lindner Family Tennis Center on Aug. 14, 2025 in Mason, Ohio

"This has been in a process for a while," she tells PEOPLE exclusively about developing her own Protein Pineapple Orange Smoothie. "It was really exciting. My favorite part definitely was trying different things and flavors, and kind of trying to figure out what I would want in a smoothie."

The tropical beverage created by Gauff, who's been honored with the Naked Chief Smoothie Officer title, is a mixture of her favorite fruits and added nutrients necessary to fuel her performance both on and off the court.

The smoothie is packed with 20 grams of plant-based protein, real pineapple and orange juices, electrolytes from coconut water and essential vitamins B6 and B12. Even with 6 grams of fiber and no added sugar, Gauff raves that it "tastes like fruit!"

Gauff's Naked Smoothie is a limited-edition, and will only be available in select stores. Among them is Coco’s Corner Store, an immersive pop-up experience in New York City that will run from Aug. 21 through Aug. 22 ahead of the U.S. Open.

Gauff won her first major title at the 2023 U.S. Open with a 2-6, 6-3, 6-2 victory over Aryna Sabalenka.

The 2025 U.S. Open will take place from Aug. 24 to Sep 7, 2025.

on People

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