Coco Gauff has captured the world’s attention with her powerful serves and unwavering determination. But beyond the champion on the court, there’s a young woman forging deep connections within the tennis fraternity. The sport has a rich history of nurturing lifelong friendships, and Gauff is no exception. Her journey to the top has been intertwined with the rise of another promising star, ATP sensation Ben Shelton. Gauff and Shelton have cultivated a sibling-like relationship. Here are the four instances that show the strong bond between the two:

1. Escape Room Fun with Friends

Coco Gauff, Ben Shelton, and Chris Eubanks had some fun before the Miami Open which allowed them a break from tennis to enjoy an escape room adventure together. They were joined by a friend named Anna Mitchell. The group decided to play mystery solvers in a medieval-themed room that had cool decorations like faux stone walls and stained glass windows.

Shelton posted a photo on Instagram that featured the group having a great time. In the picture, Shelton was seen focusing on a book, Gauff holding a silver knight’s helmet, and Eubanks lifting another prop. Mitchell was also posing with a fake sword.

Gauff shared the photo on her own Instagram story and captioned it “Escape room goats.” The group seemed to enjoy their time together, with Shelton adding, “Coast to coast with the gang,” in his caption. This moment became trending on social media as fans were quite excited to see their favorite stars having a fun holiday together.

2. College Pride and Playful Banter

Coco Gauff shared a post on X (formerly known as Twitter) back in September 2023 about the University of Florida, where Ben Shelton used to play college tennis. Shelton had a fantastic college career as he helped the Florida Gators win a national championship in 2021. Shelton’s star continued to ascend as he clinched the men’s singles title at the 2022 NCAA Division I Tennis Championship. To cap off an extraordinary year, he was crowned the ITA National Player of the Year.

The University of Florida was ranked the top university in the U.S. for athletics by niche.com. Gauff saw the ranking and couldn’t resist teasing Shelton a bit. She posted, “Did you write this? 😂 @BenShelton,” poking fun at her friend’s proud connection to the university. It was a lighthearted moment that showed how they enjoyed playful banter with each other.

3. Encouragement and Respect After the US Open

Ben Shelton and Coco Gauff have formed a unique friendship that spans both the ATP and WTA tours. Both the young pros made it to their first US Open semifinals back in 2o23, with Gauff emerging victorious as the youngest champion. After the US Open finally came to an end, Shelton posted on Instagram saying, “Back to the lab. See ya next year NYC.”

Gauff responded to his post with some encouraging words, “Only getting started,”  cheering him up along with presenting her belief in Shelton’s potential. Giving Gauff a big compliment, Shelton replied, “@cocogauff ur the GOAT,” which means he is humble enough to place her above himself in such a competitive world of tennis. This exchange highlighted the mutual respect and support they have for each other’s good and bad times.

4. Friendly Trash Talk Behind the Scenes

Back at the US Open last year, Coco Gauff shared a funny story about the friendly trash talk between Ben Shelton and Frances Tiafoe. This came before the two Americans were about to face each other in the quarterfinals. Gauff said that after one of her matches, she found Shelton and Tiafoe already trash-talking in the warmup area. She joked about their outfits, telling Tiafoe that Shelton had the better outfit.

Gauff also teased Tiafoe by saying that Carlos Alcaraz looked better than him in his outfit. “I was like, ‘You’re wearing confetti.’ I said Carlos [Alcaraz] looked better. He’s going to hate this. Love you, Frances,” she said.

Shelton joined in on the fun, sharing that Tiafoe often jokes about looking better in a sleeveless shirt and tells Shelton he needs to work on his shoulders. This playful banter revealed the close-knit and fun dynamic among these young American stars. As the US Open 2024 is ahead of us, fans can expect to witness similar incidents once again.