Wimbledon 2019 marked the spectacular debut of Coco Gauff. At just 15, she stunned Venus Williams, sparking “Coco-mania” with her poise and power. Months later, her Linz title confirmed her rapid rise. By 2023, her US Open win cemented her status as a great player. Having burst onto the scene so young, what does Coco think about the WTA’s newest rising star, Mirra Andreeva?

On Wednesday, Coco defeated seventh-ranked Andreeva 6-4, 7-6(5) in the Italian Open quarterfinals. At 21 years and 54 days, Gauff became the fifth youngest woman in the Open Era to reach three Italian Open semifinals, having also made the last four in 2021 and 2024. She now holds a perfect 4-0 record against Andreeva, winning seven straight sets. But for Coco, head-to-head stats are not the focus.

In the post-match press conference, Coco said, “I don’t think about the H2H so much because when you’re playing someone younger, you know they can improve so much in a little bit of time.” Her own journey is a prime example of that. Though she set high standards early, Coco faced setbacks.

For instance, last year, after winning the Auckland title, she struggled to win again until the China Open in October 2024 and then the WTA Finals. During this rough patch, she parted ways with coach Brad Gilbert and hired Matt Daly, who helped boost her form through the United Cup this year. Ending what many called “Coco’s flop era” after 14 tournaments without a title, including the 2024 US Open. This shows that even a prodigy needs the right guidance to thrive.

Mirra Andreeva has that guidance now. Last year, she added Conchita Martinez to her team. Andreeva won her first title at the 2024 Iasi Open and this season claimed two WTA 1000 titles in Dubai and Indian Wells. She’s beaten top players like Iga Swiatek, Aryna Sabalenka, and Elena Rybakina. But she’s yet to beat Gauff, who believes mindset plays a big role.

Coco added, “I think about my game compared to when I was her age and it’s a lot different, so, yes, it’s good, but also at the same time when I go on court, I treat each match like a new match and expect her to be better than the last time we played.” Looking ahead, Coco aims to break her Italian Open semifinal curse. She lost in the semis in 2021 and 2024, both times to Iga Swiatek. Maybe third time’s the charm?

Fun fact: Coco is Rome’s youngest three-time semifinalist since Martina Hingis in 1999. Only Monica Seles, Martina Hingis, Gabriela Sabatini, and Chris Evert reached their third big semi younger in the Open Era!

Additionally, with her strong form since reaching the Madrid final last month, Gauff is set to rise to No. 2 in the world rankings on Monday, overtaking Swiatek. But improving that ranking isn’t her main focus- she’s got her eyes on a bigger prize!

Coco Gauff reveals her next goal over the No.1 ranking

On Monday, May 12, after beating Emma Raducanu, Coco Gauff told Tennis Channel she’s not obsessed with the No. 1 ranking held by Aryna Sabalenka. “It’s not really that much in my mind because I just want another slam,” she said. “Honestly, it’s not something that I think about. But honestly, it’s something I want to touch in my career and maintain, too. So, yeah, it’s definitely something that I want to do. But it’s not fully in my mind; I’d rather take away some more trophies, Slam trophies. But that obviously will come if I can win.”

Back at No. 2 in the world at 21, Gauff matches her career-best and keeps her spot in the Top 10 for three years running. She briefly hit No. 2 last summer but didn’t hold it. Sabalenka leads with 11,118 points-4,515 ahead. The Italian Open might close the gap, but Coco says overtaking Sabalenka isn’t her priority.

On the eve of her birthday, she said, “I’ve never been a rankings girl. Really, I want to just win Grand Slams. My dad always said, ‘the number, the ranking will come with the Slams’.” She added, “If I win a Slam this year and don’t become number one, I will be satisfied. I’ll be more satisfied than if I became number one and didn’t win a Slam.”

Coco’s closest French Open shot was the 2022 final, where she lost to Iga. She met Swiatek again in last year’s semis but once more fell short. Since then, she hasn’t gone deep in majors, including a quarterfinal exit at this year’s Australian Open. But her form is picking up. Now, she’s in the Italian Open semis for the third time, possibly facing Sabalenka or No. 8 Qinwen Zheng. Can she make another final? Share your thoughts in the comments below!