Tennis champion Coco Gauff invited actors Connor Storrie and Hudson Williams, stars of the HBO Max series "Heated Rivalry," to the Australian Open following her public praise of the show, which occurred during her media day press conference on January 18, 2026. Gauff, currently competing in the Australian Open in Melbourne, Australia, revealed her fandom for the queer hockey romance series after discovering it through social media buzz.

"I'm their number one fan, I think," Gauff stated, according to tennis.com, after describing how she discovered the show. "I just kind of saw people talking about a hockey show, a gay hockey show. That interested me. I was like, Oh, six episodes, perfect. I just dove, like, right in. Obviously, there's some nice spicy scenes. It's such a beautiful love story."

"Heated Rivalry," a six-episode series, has garnered attention for its portrayal of a romance between two hockey players. While Storrie and Williams received invitations to the Australian Open, their co-star, Robbie G.K., attended the Seattle Seahawks vs. San Francisco 49ers playoff game, also on January 18. The Seahawks lost to the 49ers with a final score of 23-17.

Gauff's enthusiasm for "Heated Rivalry" echoes a growing trend of athletes and celebrities publicly expressing their appreciation for television and film. Her current performance at the Australian Open is being closely watched, with analysts comparing her potential trajectory to that of Serena Williams, who won her first Grand Slam title at the US Open in 1999. Gauff is currently ranked among the top players in the world. The specific date of Storrie and Williams' attendance at the Australian Open has yet to be confirmed.