In a lighthearted revelation at the French Open 2025, Coco Gauff shared a funny story about ignoring a 2019 Instagram DM from Carlos Alcaraz, only to reconnect years later after his 2022 US Open win. The incident, which Gauff recounted with laughter, highlights their shared junior tennis history and evolving friendship, despite an initially awkward social media exchange.
The 2019 DM That Went Unanswered
In 2019, a 15-year-old Gauff burst onto the scene at Wimbledon, defeating Venus Williams and reaching the fourth round. Around the same time, Alcaraz, then 16 and yet to make his professional mark, sent her a DM saying, “Hey Coco, do you remember me?” referencing their shared success at the Junior Fed Cup. Gauff, not recalling him, left the message on read, as she admitted in a Bleacher Report interview, “I didn’t remember him, so I didn’t respond.” Posts on X called it a “hilarious” ghosting moment, reflecting the amusement among fans.
Alcaraz’s Rise and Gauff’s Belated Reply
Fast forward to 2022, when Alcaraz, then 19, won the US Open, becoming the youngest men’s champion since Pete Sampras in 1990 and the youngest ATP world No. 1 ever. Gauff, realizing her oversight, sent a congratulatory DM, saying, “I DMed him congratulations,” but noted the humor in their sparse chat history: “Our spread is like, ‘Hey, do you remember me?’ and me DMing him congratulations.” She added, “I felt bad that I didn’t respond.” An X user jokingly suggested Gauff’s snub motivated Alcaraz’s success, saying, “Coco is why Alcaraz is successful, he took it personal.”
Their Friendship and French Open 2025 Context
Now both ranked world No. 2, Gauff and Alcaraz have forged a friendly bond, often seen high-fiving at Roland Garros and supporting each other. At the French Open 2025, Gauff, fresh off a 6-2, 6-2 win over Olivia Gadecki, shared the story on May 28, while Alcaraz advanced to the third round against Damir Džumhur after beating Fábián Marozsán. Gauff faced Tereza Valentova in her second-round match on May 29. Their camaraderie extends off-court, including a joint visit to Beijing’s Forbidden City before Gauff’s 2024 China Open win, which she jokingly feared might “jinx” her
Conclusion
Coco Gauff’s three-year ghosting of Carlos Alcaraz’s 2019 DM, revealed during the French Open 2025, is a humorous tale of forgotten junior connections and belated congratulations after his 2022 US Open win. Their sparse DMs—Alcaraz’s “Hey, do you remember me?” and Gauff’s eventual “congratulations”—sparked laughs, and reflect their now-strong friendship, seen at Roland Garros. Like Littler’s and de Minaur’s grit, Gauff’s story blends humor and hustle, cementing her as a tennis star.
