Agassi, Roddick, Pegula, Navarro to participate in tennis benefit for Western North Carolina: ‘Stars Servin’ Up Love’

On Wednesday, Coco Gauff ushered in her 20s with an emphatic 6-0, 6-2 victory over 24th seed Elise Mertens to reach the BNP Paribas Open quarterfinals for the second year running.

Afterwards, she was equally assertive with putting her cravings to bed.

Speaking with Steve Weissman and Prakash Amritraj on Tennis Channel, Gauff was presented her first 20th birthday cake. Keeping in line with tradition, she made a wish while blowing out candles, but what followed took the hosts and everyone on set by surprise in the best way possible.

“You want to show the people?” Weissman asked as he expected the 2023 US Open champion to simply turn the Barbie-toned piping work towards the camera.

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Having eyed the confectioner’s delight, Gauff instead put the cake to her face—and dove right in with a massive bite.

“There we go! THAT’S HOW YOU CELEBRATE!” exclaimed Amritraj.

“Yessssssss!” chimed in Weissman. “We love that. How is it?”

“It’s good. Thank you guys,” Gauff said with a laugh.

“First time eating cake on live TV?” followed up Weissman.

“I’ve been waiting for that all day.”

Gauff can keep the celebrations going Thursday by booking a semifinal spot in Indian Wells for the first time. The world No. 3 is seeking her second WTA 1000 singles title, having triumphed at the Cincinnati Open last August.