Latest news with #Gauff
Pink Villa
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Pink Villa
Who is Coco Gauff's boyfriend, Jalen Sera? A look at the tennis star's private romance
Despite being one of the most recognizable young athletes in the world, Coco Gauff has managed to keep her relationship with boyfriend Jalen Sera mostly out of the spotlight. The two have been dating since 2023, and while Gauff was tight-lipped about his identity for nearly a year, she recently confirmed his name in June 2025. During a lighthearted Bose video, she listened to a sweet voice message from him, and both his name and face were confirmed for the first time. Now, two years into their relationship, fans are getting a clearer picture of the man behind the name. They've known each other since childhood Though their romance didn't begin until their late teens, Gauff and Sera have known each other for years. Both grew up in Atlanta, and her mother, Candi Gauff, was actually Sera's fourth-grade teacher. 'My mom always said, if they're bad in school, they're probably bad as adults. He's always been a smart, nice kid,' the tennis star said to TIME. Their longstanding familiarity eventually evolved into what Coco has called her 'first real relationship.' Jalen Sera is a musician and aspiring actor Far removed from the world of tennis, Sera is focused on a creative path. Gauff shared that he is currently in school and pursuing music and acting, often posting guitar covers on YouTube. After watching the tennis drama Challengers in 2024, Gauff joked that she was glad her boyfriend was not a fellow player. "I told my boyfriend, 'Thank God you don't play tennis'," she said, per ESPNW's Instagram. Gauff values having someone outside her professional orbit, telling TIME that it gives her "a fresh perspective" as it gives her "someone to talk to who is not involved in tennis at all." Win or lose, she has his complete support Though he isn't on the tour, Sera has been one of Gauff's biggest sources of support. During her 2023 U.S. Open run, she credited him with helping her stay mentally grounded before the final. They talked until 1 a.m. the night before, helping ease her nerves. "Last night, I started a little bit, but honestly, I just called my boyfriend, and I told him let's talk until it's time to go to sleep, so we spoke until 1:00 a.m. and then I went to sleep," Gauff admitted to reporters after the match, per People.
Daily Mirror
12-07-2025
- Sport
- Daily Mirror
Coco Gauff reaction to Wimbledon finalist's 'surprising' announcement said a lot
Coco Gauff has proved she's one of the greatest talents in tennis today, but the words she shares with her rivals shows she is of rare class off the court as well Amanda Anisimova will experience the pinnacle of her career to date as she steps out to face Iga Swiatek in her maiden Grand Slam final at Wimbledon. And while some doubted the American for her decision to take a break from tennis, others like Coco Gauff showed unwavering support during her hiatus. Anisimova, 23, announced she would be stepping away from tennis in May 2023 in the hopes of prioritising her mental well-being, per The Mirror US. Fast forward a little more than two years, and she's about to break into the world's top 10 for the first time, a stark contrast to last year when she didn't make it past the Wimbledon qualifiers. Her journey to Saturday's Wimbledon final was sealed with an impressive win over world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka. And that result yet again proved her doubters wrong. "It was hard to digest people telling me you wouldn't making it after a long break," she told the BBC after beating the top seed on Thursday. "I think it's different for everyone. It goes to show that it is possible. I think that's a really special message that I've been able to show. "To be honest, if you told me I would be in the final of Wimbledon I would not believe you. Especially not this soon. It's been a year's turnaround. To be in the final is just indescribable, honestly." Anisimova's return to Wimbledon this year holds special significance following her absence from the main draw since 2022. After progressing to the quarter-finals once before, the US star emphasised the significance of her comeback following a break. "A lot of people told me that you would never make it to the top again if you take so much time away from the game," she said. "Just me being able to prove that you can get back to the top if you prioritise yourself [has] been incredibly special to me." Gauff is still just 21 years old but often displays maturity beyond her years. Not least of which on the tennis court, where she's a two-time Grand Slam champion and recently won the French Open for the first time. But she underlined her moral fibre while offering support to Anisimova following her decision to focus on herself. When the New Jersey-born star announced her hiatus two years prior, Gauff was quick to convey compassion both in person and online. "I'd say when she announced the initial break, I was surprised," said Gauff ahead of the 2023 US Open. "I don't think anybody was expecting it or anything. "But I can understand really. There is probably a lot of players who need to take a break who don't take a break." Gauff's public display of support for Anisimova was clear for all to see; she left a heartfelt comment filled with love heart emojis under Anisimova's Instagram announcement regarding her pause from competition. She wasn't the only one, either, as other WTA stars such as Ons Jabeur, Paulo Badosa, Madison Keys and Priscilla Hon also expressed their support on Instagram. And these same sentiments from her tennis colleagues may have significantly contributed to putting Anisimova in the running for a historic feat at SW19.
Yahoo
10-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
In Wimbledon exit, Aryna Sabalenka reflects on what she learned from her Coco Gauff comments at French Open
Aryna Sabalenka wasn't going to make the same mistake she did the last time she lost in a Grand Slam tournament. "You're not gonna see a Roland-Garros press conference," Sabalenka said jokingly to open her news conference Thursday, following her Wimbledon semifinal defeat to American Amanda Anisimova. Advertisement Sablenka was referencing her post-match comments that downplayed Coco Gauff's French Open final victory in June. Sabalenka added before laughing: "Anyone who was waiting for that, you can leave right now." Sabalenka, a 27-year-old from Belarus and the world No. 1, admitted that Anisimova was the better player Thursday and played braver tennis than her. Anisimova, 23, came into Wimbledon as the No. 13 seed and now will play for her first-ever Grand Slam title. She outlasted Sabalenka in a back-and-forth semifinal match 6-4, 4-6, 6-4. In the process, Anisimova improved her head-to-head record against Sabalenka to 6-3. Advertisement Sabalenka, who noted her return game was not up to her standard Thursday, found herself trailing 4-1 in the final set. "I still came back. I still had chances," Sabalenka said. "Then the last game, she just smashed my serves. I have to say that she was more brave today. Maybe when I was just trying to stay in the point, she was playing more aggressive. Sometimes I was just stopping my arms, making mistakes I shouldn't be making. I think I should've been a little more brave today and remembered that I'm on the top of the ranking, and I can do that. I think at some point in the match I forgot about that.' Sabalenka's remarks Thursday were much more composed than the ones she delivered last month after losing to Gauff, who had also defeated her in the 2023 US Open final. At the time, Sabalenka attributed Gauff's French Open final victory more to Sabalenka's own mistakes — she made 70 unforced errors — and less to Gauff's level of play. Sabalenka went as far as suggesting that Iga Świątek would have beaten Gauff had Świątek advanced to the final. The next day, Sabalenka walked back those comments in an Instagram post, stating that Gauff "deserved to win" the French Open final. Sabalenka later told Eurosport Germany that she reached out to Gauff to personally apologize. Sabalenka was asked Thursday how her French Open final defeat to Gauff, and the subsequent backlash she received for her post-match comments, influenced the humble way she processed her Wimbledon semifinal loss to Anisimova. "I just don't want to face that hate again," Sabalenka said with a laugh before continuing. "No, I mean, we're all people. We all can lose control over our emotions. It's absolutely normal. Every time when I was really that close in this match today to completely losing it and start yelling, screaming, smashing rackets, I kept reminding myself that that's not an option, and it's not gonna help me stay in the match and fight for my dream. Even right now I took a bit more time before doing my media, just so I can be Aryna, not that crazy person at that media day at Roland-Garros.' Thursday's semifinal match between Sabalenka and Anisimova included two delays, each related to fans struggling with the London heat. During both stoppages, Sabalenka offered help by bringing water over to the stands. Advertisement "I just hope they feel better," Sabalenka said after the match. "It didn't interrupt [my play] in any ways. I was able to play my game. It didn't matter how long the pause was. "I just hope they feel better." Sabalenka is a three-time Grand Slam champion, but she's still searching for her first Wimbledon title.
Yahoo
10-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Coco Gauff and Aryna Sabalenka made peace with a TikTok dance
There was a bit of drama at the French Open earlier this month as world No. 1 player Aryna Sabalenka made some controversial comments following her loss to eventual champion Coco Gauff in the final match. Gauff won a three-set thriller, coming from behind after dropping the opening set to Sabalenka. Following Gauff's victory, Sabalenka told the media that she didn't win because she "played incredible," but instead won thanks to the mistakes Sabalenka made. Advertisement Her remarks drew quite a bit of criticism from the tennis community, and she issued an apology to Gauff in which she said her actions were "completely unprofessional." Gauff later accepted the apology, saying that she was giving Sabalenka "the benefit of the doubt" after an emotional match. Now, the two have seemingly squashed the beef completely, and they sealed their truce in the same way all truces are sealed: with a TikTok dance. Sabalenka posted an Instagram video of the two dancing on the court at Wimbledon, captioned, "TikTok dances always had a way of bringing people together." Gauff confirmed the peace accords with a post of her own on TikTok in which she stated, "The olive branch was extended and accepted! We're good so you guys should be too.' Hopefully, the bad blood between the two highest-ranked women's tennis players in the world is now in the past as the two get set for Wimbledon, which begins Monday and could potentially set up a French Open final rematch between the pair. This article originally appeared on For The Win: Coco Gauff, Aryna Sabalenka make peace with TikTok dance
Metro
04-07-2025
- Sport
- Metro
Emma Raducanu knocked out - but Britain can still have a Wimbledon champion
It was obvious from watching Sonay Kartal's showdown with Coco Gauff at Wimbledon last year that she was set for a massive future in tennis. That's exactly why I tipped the British No.3 as my One to Watch at the start of the 2025 Championships, along with her unstoppable surge up the WTA rankings, rather than the likes of Emma Raducanu or Katie Boulter. Kartal was No.298 in the world when she took on American world No.2 superstar Gauff last year, pushing her extremely hard in the first set. Her power and precision makes her a true force on grass and I can remember myself – and a number of other journalists – being blown away by Kartal's aggressive baseline play on that sunny afternoon on Court 1. It was from that moment that I knew we were looking at a future British No.1. Gauff eventually showed her quality but it proved to be a valuable lesson for Kartal, who has got better and better since that third-round defeat, and is now the last British woman left in the Wimbledon singles after Raducanu and Boulter lost to Aryna Sabalenka and Solana Sierra respectively. Kartal landed her first WTA Tour title at the Jasmin Open after her battle with Gauff and 2025 has seen the 23-year-old break into the world top 50. Having reached the last 16 at Wimbledon this year, with a brilliant 6-4 6-2 victory over Diane Parry, here's everything you need to know about Britain's next big thing, who could genuinely become our next Grand Slam winner… Kartal, known for her love of fitness, first picked up a tennis racket at the age of six and idolised Roger Federer and Kim Clijsters in her youth. Her early years in tennis weren't easy as a number of injury problems halted her progress but she never stopped believing she was on the right path. 'I played football and cricket as well as a kid [but] I think once I committed to tennis, I always felt like tennis was the one,' Kartal explained. 'I always felt like I was slightly different as a player to most players at the time that I was growing up with. I had a lot of belief. I had good people around me that really backed me and said that I just needed a good run, I could have a breakout year. So tennis, despite me being sidelined for years on and off, was still always the goal for me.' Usually donning a boxy polo shirt and long shorts with her tattoos – Kartal isn't what you'd expect a stereotypical women's tennis player to look like – and doesn't have the pristine aesthetic widely seen on the WTA Tour. It's refreshing. There's something quite Billie Eilish-esque about the way she dresses and presents herself. She's a little unique and perhaps more relatable for some young girls. After competing on the ITF Circuit in 2021, Kartal made her WTA Tour debut the following year before being handed a Wimbledon wildcard. Her breakthrough came at Wimbledon 2024, becoming Britain's first female qualifier to reach the third round in 27 years at the All England Club. Kartal is notably strong – both physically and mentally – and is able to use deep, penetrating groundstrokes to control rallies during her matches. Due to her strength, her biggest weapon is her forehand, which allows Kartal to dictate points, especially on a grass court where the play is faster. Former Wimbledon finalist and tennis coach Olga Morozova spoke exclusively to Metro about Kartal's best attributes earlier this summer. 'All the British girls know grass much better than anyone else because they started playing on it earlier than others,' Morozova said. 'Kartal is doing very, very good this year. She is strong physically, great legs and she has a good slice which works well on grass.' Kartal stunned 20th-seed and 2017 French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko in her opening match at Wimbledon this year. The British world No.51 then followed that up with straight-set wins over Bulgarian world No.111 Viktoriya Tomova and French world No.118 Parry. Speaking ahead of her next match, a last-16 battle with Russian world No.50 Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, Kartal explained how she had learnt lessons from that Wimbledon clash with Gauff 12 months ago. 'I'm not going to lie, I was pretty nervous walking out there,' Kartal said after her win over Parry, in which she was 4-1 down in the first set at one point. 'It's a big court with a match that has a lot of meaning to me. Obviously last year, that was also in the back of my mind, losing to Coco on the same court in the same round. 'I tried to take everything I learnt from that match and put it into play on the court. Tried to relax as best as I could. Having been 4-1 down, I just tried to get back on the scoreboard one by one. 'I think last year's match helped me a lot. I think I left that court last year feeling like I didn't play my best level [in the second set] because of the nerves I was carrying.' For those of you believing it's too farfetched to think Kartal can genuinely land the Venus Rosewater Dish, I'd like to politely remind you that last year's Wimbledon women's singles champion was very much unseeded. More Trending There are also less top players that Kartal will need to deal with should she continue to progress at the tournament. Second-seed Gauff and world No.3 Jessica Pegula crashed out in the first round, as did fifth-seed Zheng Qinwen and world No.9 Paula Badosa to blow the draw wide open. Jasmine Paolini, seeded fourth and last year's runner-up, lost in the second round while world No.6 Madison Keys was eliminated in the third round. It means Kartal has a massive opportunity – and she's ready for whoever is left standing in her way. 'I'm super determined,' Kartal added. 'When I set my mind to something, I want to achieve it. I want to prove to myself that I can do it, as well.' MORE: How an Andy Murray tactic has helped British tennis star's superb Wimbledon run MORE: 'Not the first time' – Carlos Alcaraz overheard making Wimbledon complaint to umpire MORE: Wimbledon day 6 order of play: What time are Novak Djokovic and Jannik Sinner playing?
