"Did you write this, Ben Shelton?" - Coco Gauff jokes as fellow American's alma mater tops list of 50 best college athletics universities in USA
Coco Gauff hilariously questioned whether Ben Shelton was responsible for the list which ranked his alma mater, the University of Florida, at the top of the 50 best college athletics universities in America.
Before entering the professional circuit, Shelton played college tennis for the University of Florida's men's tennis team, the Florida Gators. In 2021, the American played an instrumental role in securing the team's first-ever national championship. Subsequently, he won the men's singles title at the 2022 NCAA Division I Tennis Championships and was also named the ITA National Player of the Year.
According to a list compiled by niche.com, the University of Florida ranked first among the top 50 college athletics universities in America. The Louisiana State University and the University of Alabama followed closely in second and third places, respectively.
Upon coming across the list on social media, Coco Gauff jokingly asked Ben Shelton if he was behind the rankings, given that his alma mater had claimed the coveted top spot.
"Did you write this? 😂 @BenShelton," Gauff posted.
"Coco Gauff is a little sister to me" - Ben Shelton
Ben Shelton recently opened up about his relationship with Coco Gauff. In an interview with GQ magazine, the 20-year-old shared that Gauff often teases him about his inexperience on the professional circuit.
"So she messes with me sometimes, she’ll be like, ‘Hey, what’s up, rookie? How’s the year going so far?’” he told GQ.
Shelton also affectionately referred to the 19-year-old as his "little sister" and emphasized that she was among the select few people he's always raving about.
“Coco is a little sister to me! She’s definitely one of the ones I’m talking about," he said.
Coco Gauff and Ben Shelton both enjoyed remarkable success at the recently concluded US Open. With wins over former US Open champion Dominic Thiem, as well as top players, Tommy Paul and Frances Tiafoe, Shelton reached his maiden Grand Slam semifinal, before falling to eventual champion Novak Djokovic.
Gauff, meanwhile, won her first-ever Major title after defeating Aryna Sabalenka in the final. With her win, she became the first American teenager to secure victory at the New York Major since Serena Williams won in 1999 at the age of 17.
During the interview, Shelton also mentioned that the spotlight on him and Gauff during the US Open prevented him from holding a private conversation with the World No. 3.
"At the US Open, the camera and the mic are always there. You go into the gym, they’re following you. I’m talking with Coco Gauff after we both won our match, there’s a mic above our head," he said.