Coco Gauff recently shared a small but surprising detail from her personal life. She casually admitted that she once had a crush on a TikTok influencer, a confession she had kept to herself for years.
Gauff is currently in Perth, Australia, competing at this year’s United Cup, the mixed-gender team event. Alongside Taylor Fritz, Christian Harrison, and others, she has helped lead Team USA into the quarterfinals, where they are set to face Greece on Wednesday, January 7.
Before heading Down Under, the American sat down with fellow players Jessica Pegula, Madison Keys, Jennifer Brady, and Desirae Krawczyk on ‘The Player’s Box Podcast.’ During the episode, the group played a round of ‘Never Have I Ever,’ including a question about whether they had ever slid into a celebrity’s DMs.
Gauff admitted that she had done it, sharing that she once messaged a TikTok influencer when she was 16 because she found him attractive. However, she quickly clarified that it was a long time ago and emphasized that she no longer has a crush on him.
“This was a long time ago. I was 16. I am not gonna say his name, but it was a TikToker that everybody found attractive. I didn’t DM him shooting my shot or anything. I was just bored, so I did the bald filter and took a picture of myself bald. I knew he would never see it,” the 21-year-old said (from 1:30).
“I didn’t really remember until earlier this year because I was going through his page. He came up on my ‘For you’ page. I don’t have a crush on him anymore. I went through our messages and I was like, ‘Oh my god! I forgot I sent this, so I unsent it,'” she added.
When Pegula followed up by asking if the message had ever been read, Gauff said she didn’t think it had. It’s also worth noting that the former US Open champion has been in a relationship with her boyfriend, Jalen Sera, for quite some time now.
Coco Gauff Opens Up On How Boyfriend Jalen Sera Became Her Biggest Support
Coco Gauff and Jalen Sera have been together for around two years and are often seen as one of the sport’s sweetest couples. Sera is a musician from Atlanta, Georgia, and the pair made their relationship public in mid-2025.
Gauff often shares glimpses of her boyfriend on Instagram and isn’t shy about being open about their relationship. Last year, she revealed that Sera has been her biggest support, always there for her whenever she has to cope with a tough loss.
“Honestly after a good match, I just talk to my boyfriend, my friends, everyone cause I’m in a good mood,” Gauff told E! News. “When I lose, I would say just my boyfriend ’cause he is the only one that can take me and my mood after a loss.”
“He’s always telling me to trust the process,” she added. “Just know that I’ve already accomplished a lot and there’s no need to be so negative. That’s kind of what my whole team, my parents, everybody says. I’m someone that can criticize myself a lot, so I just try to make sure that I stay positive.”
For now, Coco Gauff’s focus is entirely on the United Cup, where she faces a big challenge ahead. She is set to take on Team Greece’s Maria Sakkari in the quarterfinals, and a win will be crucial if Team USA hopes to defend their title.
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