Coco Gauff Begins US Open Title Defence in New Balance Coco CG2

Among the next generation of breakout stars, US tennis prodigy Coco Gauff is no doubt one of the most exciting. Born in Atlanta, Gauff defeated Venus Williams in the first round of Wimbledon at just 15 years old. Since then, she’s gone on to serve big across global Grand Slam tournaments, picking up her first major victory at the US Open in 2023.

Coco has also been turning plenty of heads with her footwear. In 2022, she teamed up with New Balance to launch the Coco CG1, her inaugural signature silhouette. Featuring New Balance’s FuelCell cushioning technology, the Coco CG1 was built with Fit Weave Lite uppers, specifically manufactured for Coco’s explosive playstyle.

Now, Gauff and New Balance are teaming up again for their sophomore project, this week unveiling the Coco CG2. Taking visual cues from one of Coco’s favourite silhouettes, the New Balance 550, the CG2 swaps out the basketball graphic on the woven tongue label with a tennis ball. The mudguard is lifted directly from the New Balance 550, while the N-logo placement shifts from the heel in the CG1 to the mid-foot in the CG2. Gauff’s love for Paris is also imbued in the silhouette, with the diamond-mesh patterns on the tongues and ankles inspired by the architecture of the city.

‘The 550 is one of my favourite shoes to wear off the court. It’s so classic and I love its ’90s-inspired basketball influence,’ says Gauff. ‘The basketball stitching on the tongue is one of my favourite details. I wanted to bring this into the CG2 while making it unique to me, so we put a tennis ball instead.’

The launch colourway of the Coco CG2 is appropriately dubbed ‘Power And Grace’, a homage to Gauff’s deft combination of style and might. The New Balance CG2 ‘Power And Grace’ lands on August 21. For the lucky folk in New York City, there will also be a Coco’s Court pop-up on August 23 and 24 for an immersive experience, which will also include an exclusive CG2 colourway.