BREAKING HONOR: Coco Gauff Named to TIME Magazine’s Top 100 Most Influential People of 2025 — A Moment That Left Every Underdog Breathless

In a year defined by cultural shifts, inspiring voices, and groundbreaking achievements, one name rose above the rest with a moment that stunned the sporting world and deeply moved millions across the country: Coco Gauff. For the first time in history, the 20-year-old tennis phenomenon has been named one of TIME Magazine’s Top 100 Most Influential People of 2025, a recognition that celebrates not only her athletic brilliance but also her growing impact on global culture, youth empowerment, and the fight for a more hopeful future. And with the announcement came a powerful wave of emotion — a shared breath held across generations of underdogs, dreamers, and young people who have watched her rise with awe and pride.

The ceremony honoring this year’s TIME 100 was filled with luminaries, leaders, and icons from around the world, yet the energy in the room shifted when Coco’s name was called. The lights faded, the chatter dissolved, and a heavy silence took over — the kind of silence that lives in the air right before a match point in a fifth-set tiebreak. Then, in a moment that felt both cinematic and inevitable, her name rang out: Coco Gauff, spoken with the force of a rising star who has already left a permanent mark on her sport and her generation.

She walked onto the stage with the same calm fire she carries onto every court. Her chin lifted, her shoulders steady, her stride filled with a quiet confidence that has come to define her. It was the walk of someone who has been under pressure since childhood, someone who has learned to find power in adversity and grace in the spotlight. It was the walk of a young woman who has already defeated doubts, setbacks, and expectations — and who now steps into something even bigger than tennis.

When she began to speak, the room leaned closer. “This is for every child who was told they didn’t belong, every dream they tried to break, and every heart that kept faith when the whole world turned away,” she said. Her voice was soft, but unwavering, carrying the emotional weight of someone who knows what it means to push through uncertainty. What could have been a simple expression of gratitude instead became a message of hope, a declaration of strength for young people everywhere who see their struggles reflected in her journey.

Coco Gauff’s meteoric rise — from a child prodigy to a U.S. Open champion and now one of TIME’s most influential figures — is a story that transcends sports. It is a story of resilience, of learning to grow under scrutiny, and of transforming pressure into purpose. Over the years, she has become a symbol of belief: someone who turned every “not yet” into a “watch me,” someone who took every setback and turned it into a stepping stone. More importantly, she has become a voice for her generation, using her platform to speak about equality, mental health, youth opportunity, and the responsibility that comes with visibility.

During the ceremony, the applause that followed her speech felt almost like a physical force. It came in waves — long, loud, emotional — the way Arthur Ashe Stadium roars under the lights on a summer night. Fans watching from home described it online as a “standing ovation years in the making.” Those in the room later said it felt like the world collectively acknowledging not only her accomplishments, but also the integrity, humility, and determination behind them. This honor was not simply an award. It was a moment that symbolized the journey of a young woman who has spent years learning to thrive in a world that demanded more from her than most adults ever face.

As Coco smiled — her eyes bright, her posture steady, the same composure she carries on the baseline in the biggest matches of her life — it became clear that this recognition is not an endpoint. It is a beginning. Her work, her voice, and her influence are expanding far beyond the sport she loves. And although she has already achieved more than many athletes accomplish in a lifetime, she is just starting to understand the full magnitude of her platform and the impact she can make.

The TIME 100 spotlight did not signal the closing of a chapter. If anything, it marked the start of a new one. Coco Gauff is stepping into a broader role — not just as an athlete or champion, but as a leader, a role model, and a source of inspiration for people across the world who see in her a version of themselves. There is still so much to come, both on the court and far beyond it.

The court is still in play.

The fight is still alive.

And Coco Gauff — grounded, determined, and more influential than ever — is just getting started.