Forbes’ highest-paid female athlete, Coco Gauff, is making a significant business move. On Wednesday night, she announced on social media the launch of Coco Gauff Enterprises in collaboration with WME, the agency backed by Serena Williams. WME, which owns IMG, represents some of the biggest stars in sports.
The 2023 U.S. Open singles champion and 2024 French Open doubles winner revealed that her new venture will be named Coco Gauff Enterprises.
“This is just the beginning of an exciting new era for me, and there is much more to come, which I'll be excited to share in due time. As always, tennis will continue to be my main priority!” Gauff wrote in social media.
Coco Gauff announces that she will leave Federer's TEAM8 management firm and will launch 'Coco Gauff Enterprises' under WME which owns IMG.
WME/IMG also represents Serena, Alcaraz, Swiatek, Raducanu among other big tennis stars pic.twitter.com/QiSw5ux9AN
— Christian's Court (@christianscourt) April 3, 2025
Gauff, had been represented by Team8, the boutique agency founded by Roger Federer and his longtime agent, Tony Godsick, throughout her career. Her representative at Team8 did not immediately respond to a request for comment. She described her new venture as a platform to pursue her passion for creating an impact—not only in tennis but also in business, philanthropy, and beyond.
Coco Gauff as the highest paid female athlete
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The 21-year-old’s key sponsors include New Balance, Rolex, and Head. She recently introduced a more affordable version of her signature tennis shoe. She praised WME as “a team with the vision and resources to help me navigate the opportunities ahead.”
The Florida native is currently ranked No. 3 in WTA singles and No. 25 in doubles, having previously reached as high as No. 2 and No. 1, respectively. Gauff has been a highly marketable tennis star since her breakthrough at Wimbledon in 2019, when she reached the fourth round at just 15. Her popularity soared after capturing the 2023 U.S. Open title at 19.
Gauff has earned approximately $23 million in prize money and amassed millions more through endorsements. In 2024 alone, she brought in $30.4 million, making her the highest-earning female athlete, according to Sportico.
Despite some earlier-than-expected tournament exits, Gauff’s popularity remains strong. She recently made an appearance at the Oscars in Los Angeles before traveling to Palm Desert for the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, further cementing her presence in both sports and pop culture.
WME represents an elite roster of tennis stars, including Carlos Alcaraz, Iga Świątek, Emma Raducanu, and Taylor Fritz, alongside Gauff’s close friends Frances Tiafoe and Chris Eubanks. The agency also manages legends like Serena Williams. While it has lost major clients such as Naomi Osaka, Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Novak Djokovic—who all branched out to launch their own ventures—securing a partnership with Gauff strengthens its position in the industry.
