Coco Gauff is currently competing at the 2026 Miami Open, where she has reached the final of the tournament. During a press conference, the former world No. 2 was asked whether WTA players have a term similar to “daddy,” which American ATP players use to refer to opponents they have defeated three times in a row.
Coco Gauff Discusses Whether WTA Players Use the Term ‘Daddy’
Last year, during the Australian Open, Ben Shelton revealed that American ATP players call someone another player’s “daddy” if they win against them three consecutive times.
“We say on tour if someone beats you three times in a row, they’re your daddy, so I was fighting to not let that happen,” Shelton said.
Jannik Sinner has beaten Taylor Fritz four times and Shelton nine times in a row since 2023. Carlos Alcaraz has defeated Shelton three times in a row and Tommy Paul five times consecutively. Meanwhile, after Alex de Minaur defeated Paul in the final of the 2023 Mexican Open, marking his fourth consecutive win over Paul, the American referred to De Minaur as his “daddy.”
In the semifinals of the 2026 Miami Open, Gauff defeated Karolína Muchová with a score of 6-1, 6-1, advancing to the final. This victory marked her sixth win against Muchová in their six meetings on the WTA Tour.
During the post-match press conference, a reporter asked the two-time Grand Slam champion if WTA players had an equivalent term to “daddy” for players with three or more consecutive wins over an opponent. In response, Gauff stated that WTA players do not use such a term and expressed that she also doesn’t want to use a term like that because she has also been on the losing end.
MORE: Aryna Sabalenka Promises ‘Aggression’ and ‘Emotions’ in Coco Gauff Miami Duel
“I don’t think so. [laughter] We don’t have anything like that. I don’t know. Guys, I feel like they’re able to just, I don’t know, I feel like a lot of American guys, they’re a little bit on the uppier side, so they’re able to say this. But for me, I don’t think of it like that. I’ve also been on the other end of it, too. So, I don’t want to,” Gauff said.
The former world No. 2 mentioned how Iga Świątek has 11 wins over her in their 16 matches on the WTA Tour, but also highlighted her own success, having won four consecutive matches against the Pole since the 2024 WTA Finals, suggesting that they are each other’s “daddies.”
“Iga [Świątek] beat me so many times in a row. So, I don’t want her to be considered my dad. But then I was able to reverse it. So now we both are each other’s daddies. I don’t think there’s a term, as far as I know, among the women. Maybe there is. I don’t think daddy’s the term. I don’t think mommy’s the term either. I don’t know, dominatrix? I don’t know,” she continued.
View this post on Instagram
Reflecting on her semifinal win over Muchová at the Miami Open, Gauff stated that she feels “lucky” to have won all her matchups against the Czech on the WTA Tour. She acknowledged that this head-to-head record won’t last forever and that she will enjoy it while it does.
“But I don’t want to turn because I know I have some matches where I’m on the losing end of that, too. So, I’m just going to say it was a good day. I’m lucky that I always say against her [Karolína Muchová], I don’t know why the matchup is like this, but I’mma take it, but I don’t think it’s going to last forever,” Gauff added.
Looking ahead, Gauff is set to face Aryna Sabalenka in the final of the 2026 Miami Open. The two players have met 12 times on the WTA Tour, with each having won six matches. Their most recent matchup was at the 2025 WTA Finals, where Sabalenka secured a 7-6(5), 6-2 victory.
