Coco Gauff makes her documentary debut
Coco Gauff made her debut as an executive producer on the documentary The Zina Effect and Serve: Fashion & Tennis, released on August 24, 2026. Tennis Channel collaborated with her family’s iROC Media Group and Religion of Sports on the films.
The shorts joined Tennis Channel’s Tennis Story collection. Gauff, then 22, had already won the 2023 US Open and 2025 French Open singles titles.
Coco Gauff explains her filmmaking choice
Coco Gauff chose tennis fashion and Zina Garrison because both subjects connect competition with cultural influence across generations. Her June 2026 announcement described clothing as a form of personal expression and the former champion as a lasting inspiration.
Gauff said Garrison’s career inspired later generations, including herself, while distinctive clothing allowed athletes to express individuality. The two subjects became separate short films that explored different aspects of tennis history and players’ personal identities.
Serve examines tennis fashion history
Serve: Fashion & Tennis explores how players use clothing to express identity and challenge established expectations. Released in 2026, the documentary follows memorable looks that connected professional tennis with wider modern fashion culture across generations.
The film runs eight minutes and places traditional uniforms, memorable tournament outfits, and player identity within the same cultural discussion. Its focus is on how appearances carry meaning beyond the results of individual professional tennis matches.
Serena Williams and Naomi Osaka appear
A trailer for Serve: Fashion & Tennis included Serena Williams and Naomi Osaka, linking the film’s theme to stars known for distinctive tournament outfits. The promotional footage appeared in August 2026 before the documentary’s release.
During an August 22, 2025, US Open press conference, Gauff explained how comfortable clothing boosts her confidence on the court. She also said tennis fashion can attract casual spectators who do not follow the sport.
The Zina Effect profiles an American star
The Zina Effect documents the career and influence of tennis champion Zina Garrison. Gauff chose a player she has described as a personal hero, giving the 2026 film a subject rooted in competition and mentorship.
The 10-minute documentary introduces a former professional whose impact extends beyond tournament results. Its portrait follows Garrison’s experiences and shows why her career mattered to later generations of American tennis players, coaches, and sports fans.
Zina Garrison reached the Wimbledon final
Zina Garrison reached the 1990 Wimbledon women’s singles final, becoming the first Black woman to do so since Althea Gibson in 1958. Her run ended against Martina Navratilova on Centre Court in London, England.
Garrison defeated Monica Seles in the quarterfinals and world No. 1 Steffi Graf in the semifinals. Her singles ranking peaked at No. 4 in November 1989.
Zina Garrison won two Olympic medals
Zina Garrison won a women’s doubles gold medal with American teammate Pam Shriver at the 1988 Seoul Olympics. She also secured a bronze in singles at the same Games, giving her two medals in different tennis events.
Garrison returned to Olympic competition in Barcelona in 1992, following those earlier achievements. Across her professional career, she collected 20 doubles titles and reached a peak world No. 5 in that discipline in May 1988.
Garrison expanded tennis access in Houston
Zina Garrison established a Houston youth academy to give children access to tennis and education. She began playing in John Wilkerson’s free program at MacGregor Park in 1974.
The Zina Garrison Tennis Academy advertises 45 weeks of free programming annually for children ages 4 through 18. Its offerings include tennis instruction, educational support, college preparation, fitness and nutrition.
Coco Gauff explains the name iROC
Coco Gauff said iROC reverses the letters of Cori, her given first name. At a September 2025 press conference in Beijing, she recalled the label from Little Mo competitions and visors made by her grandmother.
The American player believed her mother first suggested the label during childhood. Relatives kept using it for years before Gauff adopted the same word for her new family production company, iROC Media Group, in 2025.
Religion of Sports partnered with Gauff
In September 2025, the Gauff family’s media company announced a content partnership with Religion of Sports. The studio was co-founded by Tom Brady, Michael Strahan, and Gotham Chopra, three established figures in American sports filmmaking.
The partnership covered television projects, films, digital content, and branded campaigns. Religion of Sports had previously produced a television documentary series about Simone Biles and Serena Williams, linking this collaboration with its established work featuring athletes.
Fun fact: At Wimbledon in 1990, Zina Garrison wore tennis clothes borrowed from Martina Navratilova, then ended up facing the woman who lent them in the final.
Coco Gauff kept tennis as her main priority
At a September 28, 2025, press conference in Beijing, Coco Gauff explained how Religion of Sports would help turn her ideas into projects. She stressed that her competitive tennis career would remain the main priority.
Short branded videos might run only one or two minutes, Gauff explained, whereas she wanted to produce longer scripted and unscripted television series. Religion of Sports would develop those ideas while she continued competing professionally.
Vashni Korin directed both documentaries
Vashni Korin directed both films, with Chelsea Marotta of Religion of Sports serving as producer. The filmmaker previously made You Can’t Stop Spirit, a 2021 documentary about New Orleans Baby Doll performers and their traditions.
In an August 2026 interview, Korin explained that documentary subjects need to trust the filmmaker to behave naturally on camera. She described Garrison as private and hoped wider audiences would learn about the American champion’s experiences and achievements.
Naomi Osaka defends bold US Open style after online backlash, offering a wider look at how athlete fashion, personal expression, and social media criticism increasingly intersect at major sporting events.
Tennis Story added 20 archived films
In June 2026, Tennis Channel announced Tennis Story: The Vault, a collection of 20 short documentaries from the previous decade about people and places connected with tennis.
One episode explores Andy Murray’s enduring connection with Dunblane, Scotland. Another profiles Mansour Bahrami, tracing how he rebuilt his life in France and developed a distinctive legacy in tennis.
Would you rather see Coco Gauff explore another tennis pioneer or an iconic fashion moment in her next documentary? Please share your thoughts in the comments below!
Coco Gauff has spoken out about the racist comments she faced following the backlash, raising questions about how athletes are treated online. Explore her response and the wider discussion surrounding discrimination in tennis.
This slideshow was made with AI assistance and human editing.
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