Coco Gauff excels under pressure during matches, but away from the spotlight, she enjoys peace in a low-key relationship outside the tennis world. Meet her boyfriend, Jalen Sera.
Although Coco Gauff is one of the most well-known young athletes globally, she has largely kept her romance with boyfriend Jalen Sera private. The couple has been together since 2023, and after nearly a year of keeping his identity under wraps, Gauff finally revealed his name in June 2025.
In a playful video with Bose, Coco Gauff listened to a heartfelt voice message from her boyfriend, revealing both his name and face for the first time. Now, two years into their relationship, fans are beginning to learn more about the man behind the name.
They’ve been acquainted since they were kids.
Although their relationship didn’t start until their late teens, Gauff and Sera have shared a long history. The two grew up in Atlanta, and interestingly, Sera was once taught by Gauff’s mother, Candi, in the fourth grade.
My mom always said that if someone misbehaves in school, they’ll likely carry that into adulthood. He was always a bright, kind kid,” the tennis star told TIME. Over the years, their early connection naturally grew into what Coco describes as her “first real relationship.
Jalen Sera is both a musician and a budding actor.
Completely outside the tennis scene, Sera is carving out a creative career. Gauff revealed that he’s currently in school, exploring music and acting, and frequently shares guitar covers on YouTube. After seeing the tennis-themed film Challengers in 2024, she humorously remarked that she was thankful her boyfriend wasn’t a tennis player.
“I told my boyfriend, ‘Thank God you don’t play tennis,’ she shared, according to ESPNW’s Instagram. Gauff appreciates having a partner outside her sport, telling TIME it offers her “a fresh perspective” and someone she can confide in who isn’t connected to the tennis world.
Whether she wins or loses, he’s always there to support her unconditionally.
Even though Sera isn’t part of the tennis tour, he’s been a major pillar of support for Gauff. During her 2023 U.S. Open campaign, she praised him for keeping her mentally centered ahead of the final revealing that they spoke until 1 a.m. the night before, which helped calm her nerves.
Last night, I was starting to feel a bit anxious, so I called my boyfriend and asked him to talk with me until I fell asleep,” Gauff told reporters after the match, according to People. “We ended up talking until 1:00 a.m., and then I finally went to bed.