When Coco Gauff launched a shoe with New Balance in the summer of 2022, she was the first female tennis player with her own signature sneaker and only the second overall, alongside Roger Federer.
It was a groundbreaking move in tennis performance footwear, and it came as no surprise that it was an 18-year-old Gauff who was making it.
Gauff exploded onto the scene at 15 when she marched to the Wimbledon fourth round, as a qualifier, knocking out seven-time major champion Venus Williams along the way.
Four years later, she rose to a career-high No 2 in the world rankings and won the 2023 US Open wearing her New Balance Coco CG1.
At the 2024 Australian Open, Gauff wore an iteration of the CG1 inscribed with inspirational messages, including a quote she’d heard from her father Corey since she was a young girl: “You can change the world with your racket.”
Gauff has always taken those words to heart. From a very young age, she understood the power of having a voice, and a platform, and she never shied away from using them.
Whether advocating for social justice in the US, or speaking up for the innocent lives lost in Gaza, Gauff has always tried to do her part, in whatever capacity she felt she could.
Now 21 years old and ranked No 3 in the world, Gauff has taken new steps towards taking ownership of her career by parting ways with her long-time representatives Team8 and creating Coco Gauff Enterprises, which is being represented and supported by WME.
The announcement was made last month, in which Gauff said: “I’m excited to build something that allows me to take greater ownership of my career while also creating opportunities that extend beyond myself as I continue to grow as an athlete, entrepreneur, and changemaker.”
Gauff topped Forbes’ list of highest-paid female athletes in 2024, with estimated earnings of $34.4 million ($9.4 million on court, $25 million off court) over the 12 months.
She was named one of Time’s Women of the Year and attended the gala wearing custom Prada. She was the cover star for the magazine’s May issue.
In July, she was Team USA’s flag-bearer at the Paris Olympics, alongside LeBron James.
In a recent interview with The National, Gauff said she always imagined blazing a trail, ever since her first days in the sport. The idea of setting up her own company to manage all her ventures was something her father suggested. She felt that now was the right time to get this plan in motion.
“It was ultimately up to me if I wanted to do it. My dad has great ideas and I was like, ‘You know what? That's pretty cool’,” she said.
“I have other interests outside of tennis. And I want to get on the foundation side and starting the process of building that.
“And it's just a lot of things that I want to be able to do off court when my career is over. But I think I just want to start the process now so that when my career is over, it's not so much of a starting from the beginning type situation.”
Among Gauff’s other interests is fashion. This week in Rome, she made a huge splash by debuting a match kit created for her by New Balance and Miu Miu, who have teamed up in a one-of-a-kind collaboration that includes clothing, footwear, and co-branded accessories Gauff will wear at three WTA tournaments this season, starting with the ongoing Italian Open.
Miu Miu, an Italian fashion house and sister brand to Prada, first collaborated with New Balance on a shoe in 2022, but this venture into tennis, centred around Gauff, takes their partnership to a whole new level. Not since Serena Williams’ collaboration with Off-White has a fashion alliance made this much noise in tennis.
And given how extensive this New Balance x Miu Miu collection is – with on-court performance gear, off-court activewear, footwear and accessories – it’s fair to say Gauff has inspired an unprecedented fashion statement in the sport.
“I'm very lucky,” said Gauff. “We were really pushing for it. Sometimes it's harder to get these big designer houses on board. Obviously, New Balance is a go for anything I want to do. So, yeah, it was really exciting.”
There are three colourways in the collection, one for the tournament in Rome, one for the tour’s grass-court event in Berlin, and one for the WTA’s stop in Cincinnati.
Gauff said she was “pretty involved” in the design process, and chose from a selection of patterns and colours presented to her by the designers. She ultimately decided to “go for the more simple aesthetic”, to match the “timelessness” of the world of Prada and Miu Miu.
“I wanted to create a timeless outfit. And I feel like when you're working with a big designer house, I don't want to do anything too crazy,” she added.
“Because I feel like with New Balance already, we've already done crazy cutouts. We've done literally game emojis on my shirt. So, I was like, I want to do something timeless that everyone can wear.”
For Gauff, this collaboration is more than just a tennis outfit. The Florida-based player is a fan of mixing culture with sport, and has been at the centre of that crossover.
Whether it’s through a cameo appearance on a popular TV show – like the one she did on All American: Homecoming – or attending the Oscars in custom Miu Miu, or getting a shoutout from Tyler, the Creator on his latest album, Gauff is keen on popularising tennis among the younger generation, as well as bringing culture into the sport and vice versa.
She feels she can help achieve some of those things with this new high-fashion collaboration.
“I think one of my goals, I always said as an athlete, was to bring culture to the sport – not that it's not already there. But I guess bring more culture to the sport,” she said.
“I feel like fashion, especially in Gen Z, is very important now. With TikTok trends and all of that. So, I feel like trying to bring that fashion to tennis can bring more people who maybe never heard of the sport, or heard of it but never knew any players other than Serena or Roger.
“So just getting them to know more niche players. That's, I feel like, my job on the court. And obviously, just doing the best I can. But I like to dress up. So I'm just trying to bring what I'm interested in and hoping other people will be interested as well.”
With 1.8 million followers on Instagram, and another 800,000 on TikTok, Gauff’s influence on the younger generation continues to grow.
Conversations about the New Balance x Miu Miu collab began at the end of last year, and it was admittedly an ambitious and quick turnaround for everyone involved.
Evan Zeder, New Balance’s director of global sports marketing for tennis, says that as challenging as it was, they all knew it was worth it.
The collaboration was seen as an “opportunity to do something that transcends the sport, to elevate your athlete, to elevate all of the brands,” Zeder told The National.
I feel like trying to bring that fashion to tennis can bring more people who maybe never heard of the sport, or heard of it but never knew any players other than Serena or Roger.
Coco Gauff
“I think that it was so unique because it hasn't really been done this way before. And so for us, it was an opportunity to speak to where we are as a brand, to speak to where Coco is in her career and to speak to the strength of our partnership with Miu Miu.
“And ultimately, there really is no better athlete than Coco to do that with.” Gauff’s relationship with New Balance started when she was 14 and it’s a partnership that has gone from strength to strength.
After debuting the Coco CG1 at the Atlanta Open in 2022, Gauff and New Balance dropped the CG2 last summer and launched a more accessible Coco Delray shoe at the Miami Open in March this year.
“We were ambitious, but not frightened at the fact that Coco was going to be the first female tennis player with a signature shoe,” said Zeder. “For us, there was a commitment when we signed Coco to tell her story and do it in an authentic way.
“And I think that this is Coco evolving. When we signed Coco, this wouldn't have been an opportunity. We've evolved, Miu Miu's evolved. And so I think that timing is everything when you have things like that, they come together so beautifully.”
Zeder added that New Balance “are unbelievably pleased with how the CG has performed” but acknowledged this is just the beginning of what he believes will be a long journey with Gauff in this space.
“We have to remind ourselves that we're still at the start with her. She's still only 21 years old. And even though we've built this incredible foundation with her, this is just the beginning,” he said.
While forever impressed by Gauff, Zeder admits he stopped being surprised by her many years ago.
Growing up with strong family values and parents who encouraged her to develop her own, outspoken, character, Gauff is making moves in the business world, and setting up Coco Gauff Enterprises, seems like a natural evolution for a woman who has long voiced her ambition to become “the greatest of all time”.
“She's always had confidence, but I think that her experiences continue to build confidence in making harder decisions at a younger age. She was thrust into the limelight at 15 years old at one of the biggest stages in all the sport. And that's really hard. And I think she's handled it with incredible grace,” said Zeder.
“She's involved in everything that she does. She's very aware with what's going on, not just with tennis, but outside of the sport. And she sees success and she sees how people make an impact in the world.
“We put it on the CG1, ‘You can change the world with your racket’, the quote from her dad. And I think that that still holds true.
“Like when you have that mindset at such a young age that doesn't leave you, it only gets emboldened over time.”
How Voiss turns words to speech
The device has a screen reader or software that monitors what happens on the screen
The screen reader sends the text to the speech synthesiser
This converts to audio whatever it receives from screen reader, so the person can hear what is happening on the screen
A VOISS computer costs between $200 and $250 depending on memory card capacity that ranges from 32GB to 128GB
The speech synthesisers VOISS develops are free
Subsequent computer versions will include improvements such as wireless keyboards
Arabic voice in affordable talking computer to be added next year to English, Portuguese, and Spanish synthesiser
Partnerships planned during Expo 2020 Dubai to add more languages
At least 2.2 billion people globally have a vision impairment or blindness
More than 90 per cent live in developing countries
The Long-term aim of VOISS to reach the technology to people in poor countries with workshops that teach them to build their own device
The five pillars of Islam
Dr Afridi's warning signs of digital addiction
Spending an excessive amount of time on the phone.
Neglecting personal, social, or academic responsibilities.
Losing interest in other activities or hobbies that were once enjoyed.
Having withdrawal symptoms like feeling anxious, restless, or upset when the technology is not available.
Experiencing sleep disturbances or changes in sleep patterns.
What are the guidelines?
Under 18 months: Avoid screen time altogether, except for video chatting with family.
Aged 18-24 months: If screens are introduced, it should be high-quality content watched with a caregiver to help the child understand what they are seeing.
Aged 2-5 years: Limit to one-hour per day of high-quality programming, with co-viewing whenever possible.
Aged 6-12 years: Set consistent limits on screen time to ensure it does not interfere with sleep, physical activity, or social interactions.
Teenagers: Encourage a balanced approach – screens should not replace sleep, exercise, or face-to-face socialisation.
Source: American Paediatric Association
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Three-day coronation
Royal purification
The entire coronation ceremony extends over three days from May 4-6, but Saturday is the one to watch. At the time of 10:09am the royal purification ceremony begins. Wearing a white robe, the king will enter a pavilion at the Grand Palace, where he will be doused in sacred water from five rivers and four ponds in Thailand. In the distant past water was collected from specific rivers in India, reflecting the influential blend of Hindu and Buddhist cosmology on the coronation. Hindu Brahmins and the country's most senior Buddhist monks will be present. Coronation practices can be traced back thousands of years to ancient India.
The crown
Not long after royal purification rites, the king proceeds to the Baisal Daksin Throne Hall where he receives sacred water from eight directions. Symbolically that means he has received legitimacy from all directions of the kingdom. He ascends the Bhadrapitha Throne, where in regal robes he sits under a Nine-Tiered Umbrella of State. Brahmins will hand the monarch the royal regalia, including a wooden sceptre inlaid with gold, a precious stone-encrusted sword believed to have been found in a lake in northern Cambodia, slippers, and a whisk made from yak's hair.
The Great Crown of Victory is the centrepiece. Tiered, gold and weighing 7.3 kilograms, it has a diamond from India at the top. Vajiralongkorn will personally place the crown on his own head and then issues his first royal command.
The audience
On Saturday afternoon, the newly-crowned king is set to grant a "grand audience" to members of the royal family, the privy council, the cabinet and senior officials. Two hours later the king will visit the Temple of the Emerald Buddha, the most sacred space in Thailand, which on normal days is thronged with tourists. He then symbolically moves into the Royal Residence.
The procession
The main element of Sunday's ceremonies, streets across Bangkok's historic heart have been blocked off in preparation for this moment. The king will sit on a royal palanquin carried by soldiers dressed in colourful traditional garb. A 21-gun salute will start the procession. Some 200,000 people are expected to line the seven-kilometre route around the city.
Meet the people
On the last day of the ceremony Rama X will appear on the balcony of Suddhaisavarya Prasad Hall in the Grand Palace at 4:30pm "to receive the good wishes of the people". An hour later, diplomats will be given an audience at the Grand Palace. This is the only time during the ceremony that representatives of foreign governments will greet the king.
The years Ramadan fell in May
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Rating: 4.5/5
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11 cabbie-recommended restaurants and dishes to try in Abu Dhabi
Iqbal Restaurant behind Wendy’s on Hamdan Street for the chicken karahi (Dh14)
Pathemari in Navy Gate for prawn biryani (from Dh12 to Dh35)
Abu Al Nasar near Abu Dhabi Mall, for biryani (from Dh12 to Dh20)
Bonna Annee at Navy Gate for Ethiopian food (the Bonna Annee special costs Dh42 and comes with a mix of six house stews – key wet, minchet abesh, kekel, meser be sega, tibs fir fir and shiro).
Al Habasha in Tanker Mai for Ethiopian food (tibs, a hearty stew with meat, is a popular dish; here it costs Dh36.75 for lamb and beef versions)
Himalayan Restaurant in Mussaffa for Nepalese (the momos and chowmein noodles are best-selling items, and go for between Dh14 and Dh20)
Makalu in Mussaffa for Nepalese (get the chicken curry or chicken fry for Dh11)
Al Shaheen Cafeteria near Guardian Towers for a quick morning bite, especially the egg sandwich in paratha (Dh3.50)
Pinky Food Restaurant in Tanker Mai for tilapia
Tasty Zone for Nepalese-style noodles (Dh15)
Ibrahimi for Pakistani food (a quarter chicken tikka with roti costs Dh16)
The biog
Favourite films: Casablanca and Lawrence of Arabia
Favourite books: Start with Why by Simon Sinek and Good to be Great by Jim Collins
Favourite dish: Grilled fish
Inspiration: Sheikh Zayed's visionary leadership taught me to embrace new challenges.
DUBAI%20BLING%3A%20EPISODE%201
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECreator%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ENetflix%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EKris%20Fade%2C%20Ebraheem%20Al%20Samadi%2C%20Zeina%20Khoury%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – FINAL RECKONING
Director: Christopher McQuarrie
Starring: Tom Cruise, Hayley Atwell, Simon Pegg
Rating: 4/5
The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
Analysis
Maros Sefcovic is juggling multiple international trade agreement files, but his message was clear when he spoke to The National on Wednesday.
The EU-UAE bilateral trade deal will be finalised soon, he said. It is in everyone’s interests to do so. Both sides want to move quickly and are in alignment. He said the UAE is a very important partner for the EU. It’s full speed ahead - and with some lofty ambitions - on the road to a free trade agreement.
We also talked about US-EU tariffs. He answered that both sides need to talk more and more often, but he is prepared to defend Europe's position and said diplomacy should be a guiding principle through the current moment.
About Karol Nawrocki
• Supports military aid for Ukraine, unlike other eurosceptic leaders, but he will oppose its membership in western alliances.
• A nationalist, his campaign slogan was Poland First. "Let's help others, but let's take care of our own citizens first," he said on social media in April.
• Cultivates tough-guy image, posting videos of himself at shooting ranges and in boxing rings.
• Met Donald Trump at the White House and received his backing.
The years Ramadan fell in May
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The five pillars of Islam
Indoor cricket World Cup:
Insportz, Dubai, September 16-23
UAE fixtures:
Men
Saturday, September 16 – 1.45pm, v New Zealand
Sunday, September 17 – 10.30am, v Australia; 3.45pm, v South Africa
Monday, September 18 – 2pm, v England; 7.15pm, v India
Tuesday, September 19 – 12.15pm, v Singapore; 5.30pm, v Sri Lanka
Thursday, September 21 – 2pm v Malaysia
Friday, September 22 – 3.30pm, semi-final
Saturday, September 23 – 3pm, grand final
Women
Saturday, September 16 – 5.15pm, v Australia
Sunday, September 17 – 2pm, v South Africa; 7.15pm, v New Zealand
Monday, September 18 – 5.30pm, v England
Tuesday, September 19 – 10.30am, v New Zealand; 3.45pm, v South Africa
Thursday, September 21 – 12.15pm, v Australia
Friday, September 22 – 1.30pm, semi-final
Saturday, September 23 – 1pm, grand final
How to watch Ireland v Pakistan in UAE
When: The one-off Test starts on Friday, May 11
What time: Each day’s play is scheduled to start at 2pm UAE time.
TV: The match will be broadcast on OSN Sports Cricket HD. Subscribers to the channel can also stream the action live on OSN Play.
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
Zayed Sustainability Prize
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
COMPANY%20PROFILE%20
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KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
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SPECS
Toyota land Cruiser 2020 5.7L VXR
Engine: 5.7-litre V8
Transmission: eight-speed automatic
Power: 362hp
Torque: 530Nm
Price: Dh329,000 (base model 4.0L EXR Dh215,900)
Company%20Profile
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EName%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Raha%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202022%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Kuwait%2FSaudi%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EIndustry%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Tech%20Logistics%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFunding%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20%2414%20million%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Soor%20Capital%2C%20eWTP%20Arabia%20Capital%2C%20Aujan%20Enterprises%2C%20Nox%20Management%2C%20Cedar%20Mundi%20Ventures%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ENumber%20of%20employees%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20166%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The burning issue
The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on
Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins
Read part one: how cars came to the UAE
Barcelona 3
Messi (27’, 32’, 87’)
Leganes 1
El Zhar (68’)
How to wear a kandura
Dos
- Wear the right fabric for the right season and occasion
- Always ask for the dress code if you don’t know
- Wear a white kandura, white ghutra / shemagh (headwear) and black shoes for work
- Wear 100 per cent cotton under the kandura as most fabrics are polyester
Don’ts
- Wear hamdania for work, always wear a ghutra and agal
- Buy a kandura only based on how it feels; ask questions about the fabric and understand what you are buying
Zayed Sustainability Prize
Sarfira
Director: Sudha Kongara Prasad
Starring: Akshay Kumar, Radhika Madan, Paresh Rawal
Rating: 2/5
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