Coco Gauff went out for a late night ice cream with tennis heartthrob Ben Shelton at the Australian Open in a development sure to breathe new life into rumors that the stars are romantically linked.
The world No.3 and her fellow American were pictured laughing and smiling as they stepped out on Sunday night ahead of their first-round clashes at Melbourne Park.
Fashion-forward Gauff wore baggy blue jeans and a pink tank top, and Shelton also sported a casual look in jeans and a black hoodie, which he then took off to reveal a Philadelphia 76ers NBA jersey.
The couple has been the subject of romance rumors since last year as they are frequently seen together and often tag each other on social media.
Gauff and Shelton played doubles together at the 2024 US Open, where they also kicked off the tournament by playing the first matches in the men's and women's singles competitions and had a moment that went viral when he left her hanging while she tried to high-five him. him after they won a point.
In March last year they took to social media to share their experience in an escape room challenge and often complimented each other in interviews.
Coco Gauff and Ben Shelton are pictured grabbing ice cream late at night in Melbourne before beginning their Australian Open campaigns.
There has been much speculation that the American stars are more than just friends.
Gauff, who has a strong chance of breaking Aryna Sabalenka's title streak in Melbourne, and Shelton are the brightest young stars in American tennis.
'She is charismatic. A great athlete. He has so many qualities that are similar to a male player,” Shelton told the media in Flushing Meadows last September.
'You can see something in her that is special and different. She plays with a lot of passion. You can tell she cares.
'She likes it every time she is on the court. I think that's something people love.”
In March of last year, Gauff spoke about the importance of her friendship with Shelton and teammate Chris Eubanks at the Miami Open.
“It's great to have two guys on tour and to be able to get away from this world a little bit,” he explained.
'With women we have friendships, but we are always going to have to play with each other in a tournament, so sometimes we don't go out like before.
“I've known Chris since I was a little kid, and I got closer to Ben through Chris… we all support each other, (we have) a good friendship, we all have roots in Atlanta.”
Gauff spoke about her partner, but refused to reveal his identity, after winning the women's singles crown at the 2023 US Open.
When asked how she celebrated her big Grand Slam win, she said: “I just called my boyfriend and told him let's talk until bedtime, so we talked until 1 in the morning.”
She gave her fans more information about the mystery man in March last year.
'He's a very nice guy. He's at school now. He's about to apply to music school. “He wants to be an actor and play the guitar,” he said. Fashion in comments that led fans to believe she was dating musician Jalen Sera.
But in the absence of official confirmation from Gauff, fans are still on the lookout for any signs that her relationship with Shelton goes beyond friendship.
Gauff powered her way to a 6-3, 6-3 victory over Sofia Kenin on Monday Australian time.
Shelton (pictured on the Melbourne Park practice court) has the best serve in tennis, and his shirtless displays have also won him many fans.
World No. 3 Gauff is considered one of the best chances to prevent Aryna Sabalenka from winning three straight Australian Open crowns.
She plays American Sofia Kenin in the first round in Melbourne and is paying $5.50 at Australian bookmakers to take the title, just behind Sabalenka at $2.80 and Iga Swiatek at $4.50.
Shelton, whose shirtless performances at major tournaments have been a delight for some tennis fans, enters the Australian Open as the 21st seed after reaching the tournament's quarterfinals in 2023.
He also fought his way to the semi-finals of the 2024 US Open with his best Grand Slam result yet, falling to eventual champion Novak Djokovic.
Known for his record-breaking serve, which he can send at around 150mph, his heroics at Flushing Meadows last year led some pundits to regard him as the best chance for an American to win a Slam title since Andy Roddick did so for last time in 2003. .
Tennis coach Scott Perelman, who helped train Shelton from a young age, said of the 22-year-old: “This is a rare thing in tennis: guys who are a complete package like Ben is.” “He has all the intangibles to be the best player in the world.”