Young guns in Paris

Just before heading to the French Open, Coco Gauff won the singles and doubles titles at a clay-court event in Parma, Italy, pushing her ranking to a career-best No 25.

Still just 17, Gauff is the youngest American woman in the WTA’s Top 25 since Serena Williams way back in 1998. And Gauff will be seeded at a Grand Slam tournament for the first time when action begins tonight in Paris.

‘‘It’s cool to have a high ranking, but that’s not my goal. To be No 1 would be cool, don’t get me wrong. But my goal is to win Grand Slams,’’ Gauff said during a video conference from Roland Garros yesterday. ‘‘I’m sure with the Grand Slams, a No 1 ranking would come, but it’s not something that I focus on. My goal is just to win Grand Slams — and all the numbers and all that will come with that.’’

She is part of a group of teen tennis players ready to step into the shoes of the sport’s standardbearers.

COCO GAUFF

Age: 17

Country: US

Ranked: 25

Tour Singles Titles: 2

Grand Slam Appearances: 6 Best Grand Slam Result: Fourth Round (2019 Wimbledon, 2020 Australian Open)

Facts: Youngest woman to sweep singles and doubles titles at one WTA tournament since Maria Sharapova in 2004 and youngest qualifier in Wimbledon history (16 in 2019).

CARLOS ALCARAZ

Age: 18

Country: Spain

Ranked: 94

Tour Singles Titles: 0 Grand Slam Appearances: 1 Best Grand Slam Result: Second Round (2021 Australian Open) Facts: Jumped 41 spots in the

CLARA TAUSON

Age: 18 Country: Denmark Ranked: 90 Tour Singles Titles: 1

Grand Slam Appearances: 1 Best Grand Slam Result: Second Round (2020 French Open) Facts: Won the 2019 Australian Open junior title and, in March, took her first tour-level title on a hard court at Lyon, France, going through qualifying and then beating the No 1 seed in the main draw.

JANNIK SINNER

Age: 19

Country: Italy

Ranked: 19

Tour Singles Titles: 2

Grand Slam Appearances: 5 Best Grand Slam Result: Quarterfinals (2020 French Open) Facts: Former race skier, pictured left, was first teenager to reach the Miami men’s final since Novak Djokovic in 2007 and the youngest semifinalist at Barcelona since Rafael Nadal in 2005. Last year at Roland Garros, he was the first man to reach the quarterfinals on his debut in Paris since Nadal in 2005 and the youngest male quarterfinalist there since Djokovic in 2006.

rankings since the end of last season and this month became the youngest man, pictured above, to make his ATP Top 100 debut since Borna Coric in 2014.

AP US star Coco Gauff has hit top form on the clay courts.

Denmark’s Clara Tauson won the Australian junior crown in 2019.