Despite the warnings from entities like Rennae Stubbs, Coco Gauff managed to claim the first set against Ajla Tomljanovic, with 6-4, and continued to garner cheers from the Arthur Ashe Stadium. However, the second set went to the Croatian after a close tiebreaker. Unsurprisingly, cheering from the sidelines has been Gauff’s mother, Candi Gauff, but beside her, there was a person of interest, trying to lift Gauff’s spirits during the game, which made people wonder, ‘Dang, who is he?’.

The man beside Gauff’s mother is none other than famed actor Leon Robinson. And he has appeared alongside the Gauff family on multiple occasions. He’s no stranger to the WTA star’s family. In 2023, a video went viral that showed Robinson hugging Gauff following her US Open win.  The questions became louder when Robinson wished Coco Gauff a happy birthday in 2024. And as it turns out, the actor and Gauff share the same birthday month, i.e., March. 

The actor is well-known for his roles in films like Cool Runnings (1993), The Five Heartbeats (1991), and Above the Rim (1994). On top of that, he’s also a musician. He’s the lead vocalist and songwriter for Leon and the Peoples. Yep, that’s his band. He even received the International Reggae and World Music Award nomination in 2007, and performed at the 2011 Aspen Jazz Festival, 2012 Catalpa NYC Music Festival, and many more.

And Robinson is an avid tennis fan. He’s also a casual player, which brought him into the close ranks of the Gauff family. Robinson wasn’t the only celebrity attending the US Open. Chelsea Handler, and the famed lifestyle and fashion influencer, Paige Lorenze, were also at Arthur Ashe Stadium, cheering for the #3 seed. Among the star-studded crowd, John Mulaney and Olivia Munn added to the buzz, raising the hype around the match.

For now, let’s focus on Coco Gauff, as she battles Ajla Tomljanovic in the first round of the US Open. Even though the no. 3 seed is a phenom, Serena Williams’ former coach, Rennae Stubbs, highlighted the kind of danger her opponent posed. 

Coco Gauff receives an unexpected warning moments into the US Open first-round match

Gauff and Tomljanovic succeeded in entertaining the crowd in a way that we never really expected. It’s true that Gauff took the help of Gavin MacMillan to fix her broken serve, just days before the US Open. It’s worth noting that she made over 320 double faults in the 2025 season. But just when she started making progress, the 21-year-old faced an entity that defeated Serena Williams in 2022. 

Almost immediately after Gauff vs Tomljanovic began, Rennae Stubbs shared an intriguing post on X. The text read, “Let’s not forget, this match for [Coco Gauff] is not an easy one against [Ajla Tomljanovic] ! Ajla at her best can beat anyone. Hasn’t had the year she has wanted to but she’s super capable of playing outstanding tennis. We all remember the match against Serena [US Open] on this same court.” 

Defeating Williams in her career’s final Grand Slam is nothing short of a feat. The score went like 7-5, 6-7 (4), 6-1. Needless to say, it was a hell of a match, as the Croatian secured the win despite the fans cheering for Williams. And the story is almost similar to Gauff vs. Tomljanovic. But to know the outcome of the match, head to our EssentiallySports Live Blog now. Don’t miss a beat.