Coco Gauff’s Intense Celebration Ignites Talk of a New Era in Tennis
The emotional highs of tennis victories often lead to unforgettable celebrations, and Coco Gauff has added her own flair to this tradition. From Novak Djokovic pretending his racket is a guitar to Rafael Nadal’s iconic “Vamos,” and even Ben Shelton’s playful “hang up the phone,” these moments define tennis culture. Now, Gauff’s “digging with a shovel” celebration—sparked by Denis Kudla’s rallying cry at the 2025 United Cup—has become a part of that legacy. But it’s her raw emotional outbursts, like her explosive cheer after her recent match win, that fans are talking about.
On Thursday, Gauff fought through an intense three-and-a-half-hour battle to defeat Olympic gold medalist Qinwen Zheng in the Italian Open semifinal, winning 7-6(3), 4-6, 7-6(4). The match extended into early Friday and featured two high-stakes tiebreaks, with Gauff showing resilience despite a rollercoaster of errors and missed opportunities. At the match’s end, she let out a loud yell, pounded her chest, and shouted, “Don’t play with me! This my s***!”—a moment that captured her passion and was celebrated by fans.
Coco Gauff says “Don’t play with me!!!This my sh*t!!!!” #ItalianOpen @CocoGauff pic.twitter.com/Sb0KLuef7y
— Xʜᴀɴᵗᵃʸ✨️💚 (@thereal_chantay) May 15, 2025
While the match was far from perfect, Gauff’s perseverance paid off. She committed 16 double faults and 82 unforced errors but still capitalized on 9 of her 17 break point opportunities. Zheng had her own struggles, especially with her serve—winning only 46% of her first serve points—and managed to convert just 10 out of 27 break points. She led 5-3 in the final set but couldn’t close it out, allowing Gauff to storm back and claim victory in the deciding tiebreak.
This marks Gauff’s first appearance in the Rome final, a feat she had previously failed to achieve after two semifinal losses to Iga Swiatek. Her triumphant celebration revealed not only relief but a powerful sense of achievement. She’ll now face Italy’s Jasmine Paolini in the final on Saturday, with Paolini looking to become the first Italian woman to win the tournament since 1985.
Regardless of the final result, Gauff is set to overtake Swiatek in the WTA rankings heading into the French Open, boosting her chances with a higher seed. The tennis community is buzzing with excitement about her rise, with fans showing strong support for her passionate play.
Online reactions poured in following her semifinal celebration. One user commented, “The Serena is very strong in this one,” highlighting the influence of Serena Williams on Gauff’s game and demeanor. Gauff has frequently acknowledged Serena as her inspiration, once stating that Serena’s contributions to tennis and to African American women in sports were beyond words. Now, Gauff is the first American woman to reach the Rome final since Serena and Madison Keys in 2016.
While some responses to her exuberance were controversial—one fan referred to her jokingly as a “thug”—many praised her genuine personality. Gauff is known for her respectful nature and support of fellow players, but her on-court passion is unmistakable. From taking selfies after beating Emma Raducanu to dancing during the 2024 French Open semifinals, she embraces every victory with heart.
Her hometown pride is also evident. One fan tweeted, “Oh that Delray Beach jumped out of her with a quickness,” referring to her roots in Florida, where she began playing tennis at age six. Her recent shoe line, ‘Delray Coco’ by New Balance, is another nod to her origin and growing influence in the sport.
Another fan expressed excitement with, “I’m here for the Coco LFG era!” The acronym “LFG” (Let’s F****** Go) symbolizes the fiery support behind Gauff as she reaches back-to-back WTA 1000 finals in Madrid and now Rome. Many view this as the beginning of something special.
Though she’s faced criticism, her fans remain loyal. One tweet read, “They hate it so I love it!! Keep it going Coco, let your victory be their tears!” Gauff’s journey hasn’t been smooth—she experienced a title drought after winning Auckland last year and endured a rough spell through 14 tournaments. However, she did help Team USA to a win at the 2025 United Cup and secured a WTA Finals title in Riyadh.
Now, as she prepares for the final against Paolini—whom she leads 2-1 in previous matchups—Gauff appears more ready than ever. With momentum on her side and a growing army of fans, the question remains: Will this be the moment Coco Gauff claims her first title of the season and cements her place among the sport’s elite?