Coco Gauff has had to say goodbye to the shoes that helped her win her first ever tennis Grand Slam as the 20-year-old American star upgrades to the next generation through her deal with New Balance.
When she burst onto the scene and realized her potential by winning the 2023 US Open, she did so with her CG1 shoe that she praised as offering the perfect balance, allowing her to dart around the court to beat Belarus’ Aryna Sabalenka.
But everything has a shelf life and now it’s time for the athlete to take the next step figuratively and literally, as she emotionally bids goodbye to the CG1 after announcing its successor on December 24.
“I won my first major in the CG1,” Gauff told reporters of the shoes. “So, that shoe will always be special to me. CG1’s are my babies but CG2 is just so elevated.”
What are the advantages of the CG2?
So what is the reason behind the upgrade? How will it help the woman from Atlanta take her game to the next level as she bids to become the world number one for the first time in her young career?
According to New Balance’s product manager, Josh Wilder, the shoe is a true evolution that aims to keep the same mobility benefits whilst adding extra comfort for those three-set slugfests.
“This version is a lot more breathable and more comfortable,” Wilder told Forbes. “And allows her to move around the court.”
Gauff made the semifinals of the 2024 Australian Open and French Open, as well as winning the WTA Finals, and is excited for the new shoe and said it was a no-brainer to stick to the same fundamentals of the CG1.
“I loved the mid-top design of the CG1,” Gauff added to Forbes. “Not just for the aesthetic.
“But also for how much support and stability it gives me on the court. There was no question we would keep the same mid-top for the CG2.”