If anyone has been writing tennis history in recent years, it’s definitely Coco Gauff. At just 13, she was the youngest U.S. Open girls’ finalist, signaling her rapid rise. In Wimbledon 2019, she became the Open Era’s youngest qualifier to reach the fourth round since 1991. That same year, Linz saw her crowned the youngest WTA champion since 2004. Her 2018 French Open girls’ title made her the fourth-youngest junior champ. In 2022, she was the youngest Grand Slam finalist since Maria Sharapova before her historic 2023 US Open victory at 19, becoming the youngest American woman to win since 1999. By 2024, she was the youngest WTA Finals champion in two decades. But now, she seems ready to move beyond the “youngest” label.

On Monday, the American delivered a commanding performance against 2021 US Open champion Emma Raducanu. Gauff defeated her in straight sets, 6-1, 6-2, in just 79 minutes. Playing with sharpness and clarity, the No. 4 seed advanced to the quarterfinals of the Internazionali BNL d’Italia for the second year in a row.

Despite being only 21, Coco is still often tagged as a young star. The WTA highlighted her as the “Second-youngest to reach women’s singles quarterfinals in both Madrid and Rome in one season” on Instagram. Gauff humorously reshared it, writing, “Been on tour for 6 years and the age stats are still coming lolll😂😂.” It’s funny how the “youngest” stats keep following her.

It’s true, Coco Gauff was once the youngest player in the Top 10, but that’s no longer the case. She just turned 21 in March and seems ready to shed the age-based milestones. Adding to this, teenager Mirra Andreeva, 18, who is also making waves on the tour, is now in the Top 10 and happens to be Gauff’s next opponent.

But Gauff’s latest win is worth celebrating. After losing her opening set to qualifier Victoria Mboko, she’s now on an impressive streak, winning six straight sets in Rome and eight of nine matches on outdoor red clay this season. Against Emma Raducanu, Gauff served solidly, winning 39 of 59 service points and saving all three break points. This victory also makes her 2-0 head-to-head against Raducanu, who struggles with a 1-7 record against Top 5 players.

After the match, Gauff credited her forehand for the win. She said, “I think today [it] was the reason why I won the match. Especially on this surface, I think I can do a lot with it.” Her confidence is clearly growing, especially on clay, as she builds momentum after reaching the Madrid final.

It’s exciting to see her keep improving and making waves ahead of the French Open! But when it comes to her age, she might be right not to want to be labeled the youngest player anymore. After all, she has said she feels much older.

Gauff gets candid about her age and tennis responsibilities

Back in April, Coco Gauff opened up to Vogue about how tennis, fashion, and social media are blending into her life. On the court, she’s fierce, though 2025 has been a tough season so far, with early exits keeping her from advancing past quarterfinals. Off the court, her style is stealing the spotlight. She loves mixing femininity and masculinity, and her TikTok “GRWM” videos-where she shares her evolving fashion-have become a hit with her 787.1K followers.

Now, Coco just launched a fresh collaboration between New Balance and Miu Miu. She played a big role in shaping the collection, which nods to Miu Miu’s Spring 2025 line and features her signature on custom sneakers. At 21, she’s juggling so much, feeling both wise beyond her years and young at heart. “In growing up in this life, I can feel a lot older than I am,” she admitted. But she also said, “Outside of tennis, in a lot of ways, I’m the same [as any other young person]. So if someone asks to do something as simple as a TikTok, I love to do that. It brings me back to my age. I will always say yes to that.”

On the court, her fierce competitiveness now blends with maturity. She’s racked up nine WTA singles titles, including the 2023 US Open, and climbed to World No. 2. Even under pressure, like winning the 2024 WTA Finals as the youngest champion since 2004, she stays focused and sportsmanlike. Off court, she balances a vibrant public life with grounded values, using her platform for social causes while staying close to family. Her endorsements have soared, too-by 2024, she became the highest-paid female athlete globally, earning an estimated $34.4 million, with $25 million from endorsements alone.

Now she heads into the Rome quarterfinals against Mirra Andreeva, whom she’s beaten twice before, including recently in Madrid. Will she keep that momentum and reach the semis in Rome? We’d love to know what you think!