Coco Gauff marked Christmas Day with a warm, intimate celebration alongside her family and longtime boyfriend, Jalen Sera, offering fans a rare glimpse into her personal life. The 21-year-old Grand Slam champion shared moments from the December 25 gathering on social media, showcasing a relaxed holiday filled with close loved ones.
Known for keeping her relationship private, Gauff subtly confirmed she spent the festive day with Sera, a musician and aspiring actor she has been quietly dating since March 2023.
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On December 25, Coco Gauff shared an Instagram carousel capturing moments from her family’s Christmas celebration. In one photo, she tagged Sera as the couple cozied up, wearing matching reindeer antlers. Sera wrapped his arms around Gauff as she smiled for the camera, pairing the festive headband with a one-sleeve white top.
She kept the caption simple, writing, “christmas 🫶🏾🎄.” Sera later reposted the carousel on his own Instagram, also sharing a close-up of the pair in antlers with a brown heart emoji. While Gauff has largely kept her relationship private, she has spoken selectively about it.
In August, she told People exclusively about watching Venus Williams’ historic DC Open win with Sera—and doing something out of character because of her excitement.
“I never cook, but I made dinner that night… Dinner and everything because I was so excited to watch her play,” Gauff said. “That was the first match I’ve been excited to watch in a while. My boyfriend was with me, and I was just like, ‘Oh my gosh, I can’t wait.”
Gauff first confirmed she was in a relationship in November 2023 during a Tennis Channel interview, referencing an infinity necklace she was wearing. “My boyfriend gave this to me… I’m sure a lot of relationships look up to that symbol (of infinity), so I’m not going to explain that,” she said, choosing not to reveal his identity.
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Additional insight into Gauff’s relationship emerged in a 2024 Vogue cover story, where she clarified that her partner is not involved in professional sports. “Some people thought it was someone in tennis, and that couldn’t be further from the truth,” she said.
She added, “He’s a very nice guy. He’s in school now… He’s about to apply for music school. He wants to be an actor, and he plays the guitar.”
Gauff has also shared that Sera is from Atlanta and has a long-standing connection to her family. Her mother, Candi Gauff, previously taught him in the fourth grade. “He’s always been a smart, nice kid,” Candi said.
While Gauff remains protective of her personal life, the couple hasn’t entirely stayed out of the public eye. They have exchanged playful, flirty comments on Instagram and tagged each other in posts. Gauff also shared a photo with Sera in September 2025 when the two were together in New York City around the time of the US Open.
Eugenie Bouchard Says Coco Gauff Could Reach Pickleball Singles Top Five in Eight Months
Eugenie Bouchard recently weighed in on how Coco Gauff might fare in professional pickleball during an appearance on The Kitchen Pickleball podcast. Having retired from the WTA Tour earlier this year and now competing full-time on the PPA Tour, Bouchard spoke from personal experience about the transition from tennis to pickleball.
When asked how quickly a top WTA player could reach the elite level in pickleball, Bouchard pointed to Gauff’s elite athleticism and dominance in singles as major advantages. “She’s so athletic. I mean, she would kill the singles game pretty quickly,” Bouchard said, estimating that Gauff could break into the top five in singles pickleball in roughly eight months.
Bouchard explained that many tennis players adapt smoothly to singles pickleball because of similar movement patterns and court awareness. She added that Gauff’s strong doubles background in tennis would also be beneficial, as those skills translate well to pickleball net play.
However, Bouchard was more cautious when discussing doubles success at the highest level. She noted that elite pickleball doubles demands exceptional touch, positioning, and experience, elements that take time to develop.
Even for a talent like Gauff, Bouchard suggested that reaching the top five in doubles would be far more challenging due to the depth and polish of established teams.
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Bouchard explained that the toughest adjustment in pickleball comes during high-pressure moments. Unlike tennis, where players can release tension by swinging freely and hitting through the ball, pickleball often requires the opposite approach. Athletes must maintain control and execute soft, precise shots, such as the third-shot drop, even when adrenaline is surging, which makes staying composed far more challenging.
She also noted that pickleball offers far less time to reset during play. In tennis, players can step back, settle into rallies, and gradually regain rhythm. Pickleball, by contrast, demands constant accuracy, quick reactions, and immediate movement toward the net, leaving little opportunity to recover or recalibrate once a point is underway.
