Coco Gauff Talks ‘Finding a Balance’ with Boyfriend and Family amid Busy Tennis Schedule (Exclusive)

Finding a work-life balance is no match for Coco Gauff!

The tennis star, who’s the defending U.S. Open singles champion, opened up to PEOPLE about how she prioritizes family and friends as a pro athlete who travels around the world for tournaments.

“It’s just finding a balance,” Gauff, 20, tells PEOPLE two weeks out from Wimbledon, the prestigious Grand Slam she famously defeated her role model, Venus Williams, in the first round of in 2019 at age 15. “I also think because I started so young that it just feels like my reality,” she explains. “It doesn’t feel like I’m missing things because it’s always been my reality.”

Despite the “balance” she found, the now tennis prodigy — who will make her Olympic debut in the 2024 Summer Games in Paris, the USTA announced on Thursday, June 20 — admits she sometimes still misses home. But says she is fortunate to have her mom and dad by her side.

“There are times, yes, I do feel homesick and feel overwhelmed,” she says. “But I am thankful that my parents are able to travel with me a lot, so they help a lot.”

In addition to her mom and dad, Gauff says her pals will cheer her on at matches, too. “Every now and then, some of my friends will be able to pop in for a couple of days before a tournament or something,” she shares.

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. 

While Gauff says her friends will be joining her in London to support her at Wimbledon — a moment the star player says she’s “really excited about” — she mentions her boyfriend will likely be in the stands at U.S.-based events.

“My boyfriend, he’ll probably come to maybe some tournaments in the U.S. It’s just a little bit easier than coming to Europe,” Gauff tells PEOPLE of her partner who she’s been dating for over a year, but has kept his identity private.

Gauff’s boyfriend has supported her at major tournaments in the past, like the 2023 U.S. Open, but it’s unlikely he’ll be joining her in France for the Summer Olympics. “I think just right now my mom and dad because it’s in Paris… it’s far away from home,” the player says.

The PEOPLE Puzzler crossword is here! How quickly can you solve it? Play now!

The first-year Olympian, meanwhile, previously qualified for the 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympics, but had to withdraw from the Games after testing positive for COVID-19. Now, Gauff says she’s “really looking forward” to competing this year.

“Fingers crossed nothing happens to me at the last minute again!” she says. “But I’m really happy to have my shot at a medal… every time I see somebody else with a gold medal, I want one so bad.”

Work and family aren’t the only two priorities Gauff is a pro at balancing! She also focuses on a balanced diet, too, which is why she’s partnering with Naked, known for its real fruit juice smoothies.

“I’ve basically been playing tennis for my whole life and at a pretty high level, so eating healthy has always been a priority of mine,” Gauff tells PEOPLE. “I prefer to keep it as natural as possible… it’s very easy to mix it in with what I already do on the court.”