Carlos Alcaraz and Coco Gauff are arguably the two biggest stars that tennis has to offer.

And, luckily for the sport, they are both only just getting started.

With huge global appeal at the ages of just 22 and 21 respectively, their profiles could help catapult tennis up alongside some of the most followed sports in the world.

What aids this notion is the fact that, whenever the two are together, they seem to get on brilliantly.

However, that was not always the case.

Why Coco Gauff ignored Carlos Alcaraz in 2019

It was actually at Wimbledon just last year where Gauff spoke about the rocky start to their relationship, which actually led to the American ignoring Alcaraz’s initial attempt to make contact.

After her breakthrough tournament at the All-England Club in 2019, where she beat Venus Williams on her way to the fourth round, she claimed that the six-time Grand Slam champion actually sent her a message… that she never replied to.

Gauff claimed: “I think I did well at Wimbledon in 2019, and Alcaraz DM’d me saying, ‘Hey Coco, do you remember me?’ because we won the Junior Fed Cup at the same time, both our countries, and I didn’t remember him. So I didn’t respond, obviously, like 4 or 5, or maybe 6 years later,” the 21-year-old recalled in Paris.

“He won the US Open. Then I DM’d congratulations. But if you look at our DM’s, our spread is like, “Hey, do you remember me?” and me DM’ing his congratulations. I felt bad that I didn’t respond.”

How many Grand Slam titles do Carlos Alcaraz and Coco Gauff have?

Whilst it could be attributed to the gulf in quality depth between the men’s and women’s game, Alcaraz has been far more successful than Gauff despite being just a year older.

Coincidentally, both claimed their maiden Major titles at the US Open and at 19 years old, but it’s what has followed that has set the elder of the two apart.

He has since won two Wimbledon titles, two French Open titles and another in New York, needing only a triumph in Melbourne to complete the set.

Gauff, meanwhile, did claim her second Grand Slam title in 2025, coming from behind in dramatic fashion in the Roland Garros final.

In total, they have eight major titles between them, although they are destined to add many, many more over the next decade or so.

– READ MORE: What Carlos Alcaraz said after meeting Rory McIlroy for the first time in 2025