Coco Gauff has revealed she is no longer single ahead of Wimbledon next month as she revealed her summer plans with her mystery boyfriend.
The 20-year-old American, who never managed to appear beyond the fourth round on grass, plans to keep busy with a childhood hobby that she will share with her special someone for the next few months.
“It started because I loved reading as a kid and I lost it as I grew up,” Gauff said during his media day at the German Open in Berlin this week.
‘So at first my goal was to read 12 books, one a month. Then my boyfriend has this thing where he reads the number of books depending on the year we are in, meaning 24 in 2024, 23 in 2023.’
Naturally, Gauff, whose only major title involves the US Open in 2023, saw her man’s daily activity as a challenge she needed.
Coco Gauff, 20, has revealed her new relationship status ahead of Wimbledon next month.
Little is known about her boyfriend other than his name, Jalen, and that he lives in Atlanta.
“So when he said he was going to read 24, I got super competitive and doubled my goal to match his and I like to try to finish faster than him,” she continued. “I’m two books ahead, so I’m winning right now.”
Gauff’s reading list includes books such as ‘Daisy Jones & the Six’ by Taylor Jenkins Reid; ‘The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness’, by Michelle Alexander; ‘After Dark’ by Haruki Murakami; and Viola Davis’ memoir ‘Finding Me.’
Little is known about Gauff’s boyfriend, other than that his name is Jalen and that he lives in Atlanta.
In April, Gauff said Time magazine that she and Jalen have been dating for about a year.
“This is my first real relationship,” the tennis star noted, adding, “Having someone to talk to who is not involved in tennis at all gives me a new perspective.”
Jalen has challenged the 2023 US Open winner to get busy this summer learning to read.
A person close to the tennis star whom Jalen managed to conquer is his girlfriend’s mother: Candi
Jalen managed to impress a very important person close to his girlfriend: her mother, Candi.
“My mom always said that if they’re bad in school, they’re probably bad adults,” Candi said. Time. “He’s always been a smart, nice guy.”
Gauff, however, does not plan to move in with her partner anytime soon, as she still lives with her parents in their Florida home.
“I don’t have a timetable for it,” the world number 2 admitted. “I always say this will happen when I’m 20 at some point.”