"Playing mermaids" - Coco Gauff takes relaxing dip in stunning Florida waters despite spotting an alligator during canoe ride

Coco Gauff shared glimpses from a canoe ride in serene Florida waters, where she spotted an alligator. Despite the lurking danger, the World No. 2 got out of the canoe to take a swim in the cool stream.

Gauff lost in the opening round of the 2025 Wimbledon Championships to Dayana Yastremska in the first week of July. Since then, the two-time Grand Slam champion has taken a break from the WTA Tour. She is in her hometown of Florida, practicing and letting her hair down with friends and family.

Gauff shared a short video on her Instagram story shot from the canoe she was riding. The video showed an alligator gliding stealthily in the water. Underplaying the dangers of getting close to the reptile, she captioned it:

"Out here with the gators."

Screengrab from Coco Gauff's Instagram @cocogauff

In another video, Gauff can be seen swimming expertly in the calm waters. She wears a mustard bikini and swim goggles and keeps her hair in place with a braid. She hits both front and back strokes to unwind. The video closes with Gauff smiling and swimming towards the camera.

"Playing mermaids," Gauff captioned the video.

Gauff will kick off her hardcourt season with the 2025 Canadian Open scheduled from July 26 to August 7.

What Coco Gauff has been up to during her break before the US Open series

Coco Gauff at the 2025 French Open. Image: Getty

Coco Gauff let her hair down after the grass season with her family and boyfriend Jalen Sera in Florida. The couple made some time before the World No. 2 gets back to the WTA tour grind.

As per their Instagram stories, the couple enjoyed a canoe ride and swam in the Florida waters. Sera shared a picture paddling in the stream, while Gauff shared a picture of a stunning sunset.

"This is with no filter," Gauff wrote on the image of a sunset on her Instagram story.

Screengrab from Gauff and Jalen Sera's Instagram stories

The couple had previously attended Beyoncé's Cowboy Carter concert in Atlanta. The 2023 US Open champion had dressed up as a chic cowgirl for the event and had also enthused over meeting Beyonce's mother, designer and businesswoman Tina Knowles, at the concert.

On the WTA Tour, Gauff will next play in the 2025 Canadian Open, hoping to better her last year's Round-of-16 run.

About the author

Stuti is a journalist who has been covering Tennis at Sportskeeda for almost two years. A firm believer in sticking to facts and not overselling them, giving proper context, and maintaining a neutral tone in her articles, her disciplined reporting methods have garnered close to 1 million reads so far, with one of her articles receiving nearly 100,000 views and gaining global recognition.

As an ardent Rafael Nadal fan, Stuti greatly admires the Spaniard for his ability to silence critics who have doubted his form due to recurring injury setbacks. Despite being a fan of the 14-time Roland-Garros winner, she doesn't subscribe to the idea of just one GOAT and considers herself lucky to have been born in the same era as 'The Big 3.'

Stuti is a big Wimbledon fan and adores how the tournament exudes class with its all-white outfits and well-behaved crowds. When she isn't watching tennis or rooting for her favorite player, she can be often found engaged in drawing and graphic designing, maybe even pondering how she could eliminate the final tie-break at 6-6 in Grand Slams if given the chance!

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Edited by Samya Majumdar