Coco Gauff is used to keeping opponents guessing on a tennis court. This time, though, she was the one trying to figure out what had just happened. A video featuring Gauff and famed mentalist and mind reader Oz Pearlman has caught the attention of tennis fans after Pearlman appeared to work his way inside the two-time Grand Slam champion’s thoughts with remarkable accuracy.
The encounter also featured other tennis stars, including Matteo Berrettini, who could be seen reacting to Pearlman’s performance as the mentalist turned what sounded like ordinary questions into a seriously confusing mind game.
© Getty ImagesSo, who exactly is Oz the Mentalist, what happened with Coco Gauff, and can he really read minds?
Coco Gauff’s encounter with Oz the Mentalist
The video appears to have been filmed around a star-studded pre-US Open gathering in New York attended by some of tennis’ biggest names.
© Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for OPGauff, Berrettini and several other players attended a welcome party at Manhattan’s Crane Club ahead of the 2026 US Open. The Aug. 27 event, hosted by nightlife entrepreneur David Grutman and associated with DraftKings, also drew Serena Williams, Aryna Sabalenka, Mirra Andreeva, Taylor Fritz, Alexandra Eala and others.
In the mind-reading clip, Pearlman questions Gauff about a hypothetical tennis match, asking her to think about whether she won or lost different sets. At one point, he asks about the third set and whether she won or lost. The conversation then moves toward how Gauff would feel in that pressure-filled moment.
That seemingly simple exchange becomes much stranger when Pearlman appears able to anticipate where Gauff’s thinking is going.
One detail particularly caught viewers' attention: Pearlman uses the word "tense" while talking to Gauff and later asks her to describe how she would feel. The sequence prompted online discussion about whether Pearlman was subtly influencing Gauff’s choices rather than simply predicting them.
The reactions around Gauff only add to the moment. Berrettini looks visibly stunned as the trick unfolds, while the group tries to understand how Pearlman could seemingly know what Gauff was thinking.
Who is Oz Pearlman?
Oz Pearlman is one of the best-known mentalists working today. He first became interested in magic at 13 after watching a magician perform during a cruise. He eventually moved from traditional magic into mentalism and finished third on "America’s Got Talent" in 2015.
Pearlman has since performed for celebrities, athletes and business leaders, building a massive social media following with videos in which he appears to predict everything from names and memories to numbers and personal details.
© Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for W+PBut Pearlman makes an important distinction about what he does. He does not claim to possess supernatural powers. In fact, during a 2025 "60 Minutes" interview, Pearlman revealed the central illusion behind his career. "The lie is that I can read your mind," he said.
Pearlman instead describes his specialty as a form of magic centered on the mind. "I do magic of the mind," he told "60 Minutes."
His official website describes mentalism as combining techniques involving human behavior, suggestion, body language, statistical analysis, and other psychological methods.
How did Oz Pearlman appear to read Coco Gauff’s mind?
That is the question viewers immediately wanted answered. Pearlman does not publicly explain the mechanics behind individual tricks, which is hardly surprising. Revealing every method would make his performances considerably less mysterious.
He has, however, provided clues about his approach. "I don't read minds, I read people," Pearlman said during a demonstration featured by "60 Minutes."
© Coco GauffPearlman explained that apparently limitless choices can sometimes be narrowed down far more than an audience realizes. "I'm getting you to make very specific choices," he told CBS, explaining that possibilities involving words, numbers, or names may not be as infinite as they initially appear.
That context is particularly interesting when watching the Gauff video. Some viewers noticed that Pearlman appears to introduce certain concepts during the conversation before asking Gauff for her answers. One Reddit commenter, for example, argued that his wording around winning and losing sets and his earlier use of "tense" could have helped steer Gauff toward later responses. That is a viewer's theory, however, not a confirmed explanation of Pearlman's method.
Pearlman himself has acknowledged that influencing choices is part of his skill set. "How you're gonna think is shockingly under my control," he told "60 Minutes," comparing parts of the process to moving a puppet.
© Coco GauffHe also identified misdirection as a fundamental skill learned through magic. That means the real trick may not simply be figuring out what someone is thinking. It can involve shaping where that person's thoughts go while making the choice feel completely spontaneous.
The 22-year-old has spoken extensively about the psychological side of elite tennis and the work required to remain composed under pressure. During the 2026 US Open, Gauff discussed the importance of maintaining belief even when her tennis is not cooperating.
© Getty Images"Honestly, just believing is all I can do," she said after saving two match points against Mirra Andreeva. "The game may not always show up, but I can control the belief in myself."
Earlier in 2026, Gauff also acknowledged experiencing moments of imposter syndrome despite already owning multiple Grand Slam titles. "I have to believe that I belong where I am," she said at the Miami Open.
Can Oz the Mentalist actually read minds?
Pearlman says no.
There is no need to invoke psychic abilities to explain his performances because Pearlman himself explicitly rejects that explanation. His act is mentalism, an entertainment discipline built around creating the impression that a performer can predict or influence another person's thoughts.
© Disney via Getty ImagesExactly how he accomplishes each individual feat remains part of the performance.
Pearlman has said that audience members developing theories about his methods is actually part of what he wants. "If you have these theories, that means I'm in your brain," he told "60 Minutes."
Judging by the reaction to his encounter with Gauff, that part of the trick worked perfectly.
