Coco Gauff’s Boyfriend Drops a Raw 1-Word Reaction After Her Epic 3.5-Hour Battle in Rome

As a heartbroken Coco Gauff packed her bag after falling short in the Madrid Open final against top seed Aryna Sabalenka to end a not exactly out-of-nowhere run, she circled her target: “I’ll be aiming for more next time.” The 20-year-old had so far struggled to hit her stride in 2025 despite a blazing finish to last season, only lifting the United Cup in Sydney with Team USA. But Gauff may have turned a corner in Rome, clawing past Zheng Qinwen, fighting back from a breakdown in the 3rd set to defeat 8th seed Zheng 7-6(3), 4-6, 7-6(4), clinching her 1st-ever final in Rome in a thrilling 3.5-hour marathon. And cheering for her return to the original form was her boyfriend, Jalen Sera, as he always has.

Back in September 2023, Coco felt restless, thinking about her US Open match the next day. “Honestly, I didn’t have any of those visions [of winning] till last night.” Apparently, according to her, Gauff lost the 2022 French Open because she “was envisioning, you know, what would happen if I would win. I think I wanted it too much.” But when the same started happening again, she had one person to rely on. ” 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.” And while she had not revealed Jalen’s name back then, the support was always visible. Just as it is now.

Over the years, Coco has been called by several names by people around her. Officially, in the government documents, her name is Cori Dionne Gauff. Her friends call her, well, Coco, and her uncle calls her Cantaloupe, while her coach Matt calls her simply Co. And then there’s Jalen. So far, Sera has been calling the World No. 3 – Star. But now, Jalen has a new name for his Star to tip his hat to her grit and relentless hunger. The revelation came after she made her way into the final on Thursday at the Internazionali BNL d’Italia.

Just hours after her marathon SF victory, American tennis star Coco Gauff took to Instagram to commemorate the moment. She posted a carousel featuring three powerful stills from the match, followed by a short video capturing the electric climax. In the clip, Zheng Qinwen sends a backhand long, sealing Gauff’s win, as the 20-year-old is overjoyed with emotion on the clay past midnight in Rome. Captioning the post, Gauff wrote: “3 hour and 30 mins, past midnight finish, all heart❤️‍🔥.” As the post went live, her boyfriend Jalen Sera wasted no time showing support, re-sharing it on his Instagram Story with one fitting word that summed it all up: “Warrior.” And this isn’t the 1st time Sera has expressed his admiration for the tennis sensation.

In the 2025 Oscars, where Gauff stunningly made her red carpet debut. Wearing a yellow, jewel-adorned Miu Miu gown and styled with braids in a messy bun, she exuded elegance and grace. Sharing a sneak peek of her look via IG with the caption, “Moments before arriving to the #oscars ✨💫,” Gauff stunned followers. Sera quickly followed up with public praise, posting a picture of her on his IG story and calling her “Regal 💫.” In another slide, he doubled down on his pride, writing, “THE star,” followed by, “Like come on man.”

The thunderous matchup, where she roared against her Chinese opponent from 2024 WTA Finals in Riyadh, where too Coco won, was Gauff’s longest career encounter and the longest on the WTA Tour this season, she became the first American woman to do so in Rome in nine years. And as she prepares to face Jasmine Paolini in the Italian Open final, Gauff remains grounded but inspired. Reflecting on her road to the final, she shared heartfelt sentiments after the match, clearly overwhelmed by the support and the challenge. 

“Through to another final,” Coco Gauff shares feeling post victory

After an intense 3-hour and 33-minute battle on Thursday evening, Coco Gauff roared in triumph, capping off a match of sheer will and grit. The 21-year-old ace overcame Zheng Qinwen, who “forces me to play uncomfortable tennis and get out of my comfort zone,” in a dramatic, closely fought contest to reach her 1st-ever final at the Internazionali BNL d’Italia. The matchup once again showcased the competitiveness between the two, with Gauff edging out her opponent in a deciding-set tie-break to remain undefeated in their H2H encounters, now holding a 3-0 record.

Their latest clash on Roman clay mirrored the intensity of their previous meetings. In the 3rd set alone, the players exchanged breaks 3 times before Gauff found her rhythm when it mattered most. Closing out the match in a tie-break, she displayed mental toughness that has defined much of her rise. With the win, Coco etched her name alongside tennis legends, becoming the 1stt American since Serena Williams and Madison Keys to reach the Rome final, a city Serena conquered 4 times, her last title coming after a win against Keys.

Reflecting on her breakthrough performance in Rome, Gauff was candid yet content. “Overall I’m just happy,” she added. “It wasn’t my best level at all, to be honest. Just happy to get through it and through to another final. She’s a tough opponent. I think especially here with the home crowd behind her, she’s going to be playing some great tennis. I have to expect that. Hopefully I can bring a better level and hopefully win the title. If not, I’m proud just really of this match, too.”

To claim her first crown in Rome, Gauff must now go through Italian 6th seed Jasmine Paolini, who carries the hopes of a nation: becoming the 1st Italian woman to win in Rome since Raffaella Reggi in 1985. The home crowd sure to offer thunderous support at the Foro Italico. Who do you think will win the intense battle tomorrow? Share your predictions below!