After taking down Karolina Muchova 6-1, 6-1, Coco Gauff punched her ticket to the 2026 Miami Open final, where she’ll face Aryna Sabalenka for the 12th time in her career.
While the first four of her matches in Southern Florida went to three sets, Gauff finally feels settled after soundly defeating Muchova. “Today I didn’t feel like an imposter,” Gauff told reporters after the semifinal victory. “I feel like I played some good tennis today.”
Gauff (No. 4) and Sabalenka (No. 1) are 6-6 in their career head-to-heads. “We’ve played so many matches, and it’s physical when I play her every time,” Gauff said of the Belarusian star. “It’s going to be tough.”
While Sabalenka is looking to win the “Sunshine Double” following her victory at Indian Wells, Gauff is looking to clinch her first career championship at the Miami Open. Wildly enough, the Delray Beach native has never even made it past the fourth round.
Cheering Gauff on at Hard Rock Stadium is her longtime boyfriend, Jalen Sera. While Gauff and Sera keep a very low profile, they will celebrate three years together in June.
Coco Gauff’s Boyfriend, Jalen Sera, Is Her No. 1 Cheerleader Through Wins & Losses
Gauff first publicly mentioned that she had a boyfriend while speaking to the Tennis Channel in November 2023. While showing off her infinity bracelet, “My boyfriend gave this to me,” she said. “I’m sure a lot of relationships look up to that symbol, so I’m not going to explain that.”
In her Vogue cover interview in November 2024, she spoke about Jalen but didn’t reveal his name. The 22-year-old simply clarified that she was not dating a fellow athlete. “He’s a very nice guy. He’s in school now,” she said. “He’s about to apply for music school. He wants to be an actor, and he plays the guitar.”
Gauff highlighted his quiet support while speaking to E! News in August 2025. “Honestly, after a good match, I just talk to my boyfriend, my friends, everyone cause I’m in a good mood,” she said. “When I lose, I would say just my boyfriend ’cause he is the only one that can take me and my mood after a loss.”
While the couple keeps their romance out of the spotlight, Sera’s support means the world to Gauff. “He’s always telling me to trust the process,” she noted.
“Just know that I’ve already accomplished a lot and there’s no need to be so negative. That’s kind of what my whole team, my parents, everybody says. I’m someone that can criticize myself a lot, so I just try to make sure that I stay positive.”
Coco Gauff’s Boyfriend, Jalen Sera, Received the Nod of Approval From Her Mom, Candi Gauff
Speaking to TIME in April 2024, Gauff revealed Sera is from Atlanta and that her mom, Candi Gauff, used to be his 4th grade teacher. “My mom always said, if they’re bad in school, they’re probably bad as adults,” Candi said. “He’s always been a smart, nice kid.”
“This is my first real relationship,” Gauff added. “To just have someone to talk to who is not involved in tennis at all gives me a fresh perspective.”