A year can truly change everything. Last year at Indian Wells, Coco Gauff’s game was peaking. She stormed past Elise Mertens 6-0, 6-2, securing a second straight quarterfinal appearance – a fitting 20th birthday celebration. A surprise cake on ‘Tennis Channel’ added to the festivities, with Gauff joyfully saying, “I’ve been waiting for that all day!” This year, however, the tables have turned. On the eve of her 21st birthday, Gauff experienced a shocking exit. But rather than silence, she dropped a cryptic tease, setting the tennis world abuzz.

Entering this year’s Indian Wells as the third seed, the former US Open champion Coco Gauff kicked off her campaign in the 2nd round after a first-round bye. In a closely contested match, the American player overcame Moyuka Uchijima 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 (4), subsequently exhibiting enhanced skill to defeat the 29th seed, Maria Sakkari, (7-6(1), 6-2) in a rematch of last year’s semi-final. However, the third seed’s run came to a shocking halt in the 4th round yesterday, falling to wild card Belinda Bencic, who recently made waves after winning the Abu Dhabi Open, in a hard-fought 6-3, 3-6, 4-6 battle. And, despite the disappointment, Gauff kept her spirits high.

When asked about her 21st birthday plans, she revealed she’ll be celebrating with the people who matter most: her family.

Speaking at the post-match press conference, Coco said, “Yeah, I don’t know. I mean, I don’t know if I’m going to feel any different. But, yeah, I think it’s an exciting age to turn. Usually I don’t really care, I guess, when my birthday is, but I am excited, and obviously I would have loved to be out here tomorrow. But I’m going to try to either get home tonight or tomorrow just to celebrate with my family.”

Even before her Indian Open exit, Coco Gauff had already shared her “low-key” birthday plans at the recently concluded Australian Open. Remember when she cruised into the third round with a 6-3, 7-5 win over Jodie Burrage? Post-match, the spotlight briefly shifted from tennis to her upcoming milestone: turning 21 in less than 2 months!

For many Americans, 21 is a formidable age, marking the legal drinking milestone among adults. Naturally, the reporter asked about her big plans, but Coco’s response wasn’t what anyone expected though. “Um, I don’t know,” Coco said with a laugh.

“I’ll be at Indian Wells [BNP Paribas Open]. I’m not really, like, a huge party person. I love escape rooms, so I’ll probably want to do an escape room. Yeah, I don’t know…maybe have a drink with my parents. I don’t know, probably not during the tournament,” she said during the Melbourne major.

As the third seed shared her response, the camera panned to the stands, capturing a heartwarming moment, her mother, Candi Gauff, watching on with a radiant smile, beaming with pride at her daughter that time. 

Now, as Coco Gauff heads home to celebrate her 21st birthday, the third seed now faces a crucial moment of reflection. Her 2025 season has been far from ideal, despite showing flashes of promise following her strong finish at last year’s ‘WTA Finals’ in Riyadh. 

Coco Gauff after Indian Wells loss: “It’s not as bad as it seems”

The current 3rd seed, who recently launched her new shoe with NB, ended 2024 at the peak of her powers, capturing the ‘WTA 1000’ title in Beijing and securing her first ‘WTA Finals’ crown in Riyadh. With a new coach and a fierce determination to refine her serve and forehand, the 9-time WTA singles winner entered 2025 on a mission.

Her campaign kicked off dominantly, taking down Iga Swiatek and going 5-0 at the United Cup, instantly positioning herself as a top contender for the AO. Then came early exits in Qatar and Doha, followed by the most recent R16 exit in Indian Wells. After her BNP Paribas Open exit, Gauff reflected on her recent form, shedding light on the challenges she’s facing on the court lately.

Speaking at the press conference, Coco added, “I mean, overall I feel like, I mean, it’s not as bad as it seems, I guess. I mean, start of the year, I did well at United Cup and lost to Paula fourth round in Australia. Middle East wasn’t a great swing for me. Obviously, I wanted to do better, want to have better results, but it’s not something I can crush myself on. I’m trying to do better, and that’s all I can do.”

Next up, the American ace sets her sights on the Miami Open, where she’ll be determined to flip the script and make a deep run in front of her home crowd again. But before the battle begins, there’s only one thing left to say: Happy Birthday, Coco! Enjoy your special day!