Coco Gauff Explains Superstitious Reason She Continues to Wear a Hat She Doesn't Like at the Miami Open

Coco Gauff after defeating Karolina Muchova in the semifinals of the 2026 Miami Open Credit: Rich Storry/Getty NEED TO KNOW Coco Gauff revealed the reason why she's wearing a rare hat at the 2026 Miami Open after winning the semifinals on Thursday, March 26 The tennis star, 22, explained how the accessory is strategic in her success as she advances to the finals even though she doesn't like it herself She will take on Miami Open defending champ and current world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka in the women's finals on Saturday, March 28 Coco Gauff is trying something new. The two-time Grand Slam champion, 22, is locked into a style-specific, superstitious habit at the 2026 Miami Open, rocking an accessory foreign to the typical fashion she sports on the court during tournaments — a hat.

Gauff explained her decision to wear a baseball cap — specifically, the same baseball cap — for each match played throughout the Florida-based competition, revealing that it's something she's not necessarily a fan of doing despite the style streak that's been going strong since practice. Coco Gauff plays a match againt Karolina Muchova in the semifinals of the 2026 Miami Open. Credit: Rich Storry/Getty "I actually don't like it at all," the tennis star said when asked by the Tennis Channel about her newly-entered "hat era" during her post-match interview following her win against Karolína Muchová of Czechia during their semi-final match at the Miami Open on Thursday, March 26.

"It started because I was practicing with it because I didn't feel like doing my hair that day. I just kept with it, and then I won my first round and I was like, well, I have to keep this... keep the same look the whole tournament, but I don't think it's coming back to be honest," Gauff explained of her black hat.

Given the superstitious nature of the cap, the Tennis Channel host questioned the athlete's decision to nix the hat at future tournaments if the hat is in part the reason why she wins this tournament. Take PEOPLE with you! Subscribe to PEOPLE magazine to get the latest details on celebrity news, exclusive royal updates, how-it-happened true crime stories and more — right to your mailbox.