Coco Gauff invites Heated Rivalry stars Connor Storrie and Hudson Williams to Australian Open

Coco Gauff calls herself the number one fan of HBO Max’s Heated Rivalry and invites the lead actors to her match

Tennis champion Coco Gauff has publicly declared herself a fan of HBO Max’s queer hockey romance series Heated Rivalry and extended an invitation to its lead actors to attend her Australian Open matches.

During a press conference at the tournament, Gauff praised the six-episode series adapted from Rachel Reid’s Game Changer novels. She highlighted the show’s romantic storyline between professional hockey players Ilya Rozanov and Shane Hollander, played by Connor Storrie and Hudson Williams, noting the “beautiful love story” and “spicy scenes.” Gauff said the storyline resonated with her and that the enemies-to-lovers dynamic kept her engaged.

“I’m their number one fan, I think,” Gauff said, inviting Storrie and Williams directly: “Please come to my match and watch me play…Love you guys.” She also encouraged fellow WTA players, including Jess Pegula and Giuliana Olmos, to watch the series.

The show’s creators, Jacob Tierney and Brendan Brady, attended the LA Kings vs. Pittsburgh Penguins NHL game, where footage of Heated Rivalry appeared on the arena Jumbotron, earning cheers from the crowd. Meanwhile, actor Robbie G.K., who plays Kip on the series, attended the Seattle Seahawks vs. San Francisco 49ers playoff game, with a video of him on the field shared on the team’s Instagram account.

Heated Rivalry continues to gain attention both for its engaging queer romance narrative and its growing celebrity fanbase, with Gauff’s public endorsement highlighting the series’ crossover appeal between sports and entertainment audiences. The HBO Max series remains a conversation starter among fans of LGBTQ+ storytelling and sports drama alike.