Time's 100 Top Rising Stars: Miami Mayor And Coco Gauff Make List

MIAMI, FL — Time has named Miami Mayor Francis Suarez and Florida tennis sensation Cori "Coco" Gauff to the magazine's first-ever TIME 100 NEXT, a new expansion of the TIME 100 list of the most influential people in the world highlighting 100 rising stars who are shaping the future of business, entertainment, sports, politics, health, science and activism.

Suarez was selected in the Leaders' category while the 15-year-old Gauff was chosen in the Phenoms' category.

“It is an incredible honor to be named to the inaugural TIME 100 NEXT list,” Suarez said in a statement released Wednesday. “This hallmark recognition is a testament to our daily efforts to improve Miami every day."

Gauff, who prefers to be called "Coco" thanked the magazine in a social media post: "So honored to be included on this prestigious list," the Delray Beach teen tweeted on Wednesday.

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Time Editor-in-Chief and CEO Edward Felsenthal said the new list was an outgrowth of the Time 100 list of the world's most influential people, which was first published 15 years ago and dominated by CEOs of public companies, actors from big-budget blockbusters as well as heads of state.

"What has been striking about more recent editions is the growing number of individuals who did not need an establishment to command international attention — people like the Parkland, Fla., students who mobilized against gun violence (in 2018) and the climate activist Greta Thunberg (in 2019)," Felsenthal penned, noting the list intentionally had no age cap.

The youngest person on this list was not even Gauff but 14-year-old figure skater Alysa Liu, who recently became the first U.S. woman to land a quadruple Lutz in competition. The oldest is 44-year-old politician Ayman Odeh of Israel.

Tennis legend Billie Jean King wrote the introduction for Gauff, who recently captured her first title in Linz, Austria and is ranked as the No. 68 female tennis player in the world.

"Coco Gauff has a certain It factor. When she turned 15 in March, she was the 453rd-ranked women’s tennis player in the world," noted King. "She didn’t stay there for long. Born into an athletic family, Coco had an amazing run at Wimbledon this summer, then backed it up with a strong showing at the U.S. Open."

King marveled at the teenager's debut on the big stage and said Coco is special in a world of special athletes.

"She loves the big stage, is very well prepared on and off the court, and — most importantly — she knows there are so many more opportunities ahead for her life and her career," King said. "But because she has proved she is exceptional at tennis, she now has a platform to inspire all of us, especially young people."

King described Gauff's run as a "good season for almost any player, let alone one who is barely old enough to have her driver’s license."

Florida Sen. Marco Rubio wrote the introduction for Suarez, who is the eldest child of a former Miami mayor. The Republican senator described Suarez as a "passionate advocate" for Miami.

"While his efforts to solve the big problems — everything from sea-level resilience to solutions to gun violence — are clear, I personally witnessed his commitment to solving problems that fly under the radar when we visited public-housing complexes together in Miami’s Liberty City neighborhood," Rubio penned.

The senator wrote that the mayor's desire to serve his community has consistently guided the city toward a promising future.

The 42-year-old Suarez said the honor was made possible by Miami voters, whom he often refers to as his bosses.

"It is only possible because of the opportunity our residents have afforded me to lead Miami as a global city that will be here forever and that works for everyone," the mayor said.