Coco Gauff is keeping perspective despite recent heartbreaks.
The American has enjoyed a strong season on clay this year, reaching back-to-back finals in Madrid and Rome, but hasn’t been able to deliver a title so far.
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In her latest defeat with the trophy on the line, Gauff was beaten by home favourite Jasmine Paolini in straight sets.
The 21-year-old lost within ninety minutes as she never really challenged the Italian throughout the match.
Defeat in the Italian capital came two weeks after her Madrid Open final to Aryna Sabalenka, where she was beaten 6-3, 7-6.
Gauff put up more of a fight in that loss, almost forcing a decider, but the Belarusian was too powerful in the end.
Back-to-back final defeats are hard pills to swallow, particularly with the French Open on the horizon, but Gauff – now the world No.2 remains bullish about her chances in Paris.
“Two results I’m obviously pretty disappointed in, but overall I have a lot of confidence going into Roland Garros and hopefully I can get to the final there and win it,” said Gauff.
“I think I saw Daniil [Medvedev] say it’s better to lose in finals than first round, so I can agree with that.”
Gauff’s deep runs in clay tournament this year come as no surprise, it is a surface she tends to perform well on, enjoying modest success in recent years.
Given her strong runs in the French capital, she is a contender for a second major title of her career after winning the US Open in 2023.
Gauff’s pedigree in Paris over the last four years includes losing to Iga Swiatek in the 2022 final, two quarterfinals and a semifinal last year.
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She has tasted victory at Roland Garros, winning the womens doubles title in 2024, alongside Katerina Siniakova
“When I was younger, I always thought my best surface was hard, and then I got on tour, and I thought my best surface was on clay, and then the US Open, and I was like maybe it is hard!” Gauff recently told The Tennis Channel.
“But I don’t know, there’s something about clay that I have always felt comfortable on. I feel like this year, more than ever, I am moving the best that I have, especially so early in the clay season.”
Gauff has been on of the stronger performers on clay for the American men and women in recent years.
Jessica Pegula has one quarter-final from five main draw appearances, while Emma Navarro has yet to go beyond the fourth round having only placed twice at the tournament.
Danielle Collins was a quarterfinalist in 2020 but otherwise has only gone beyond the second round once and only Madison Keys has matched Gauff’s feat of a semifinal
Serena Williams’ won three singles titles, of her total of 23 singles majors and she is the last American – male or female – to win the title in Paris, back in 2015.
Andre Agassi was the last US man to emerge victorious, beating Andrei Medvedev in 1999.
A French Open would serve as the second major of Gauff’s young career, and she recently admitted how desperate she is for another Grand Slam.
“It’s not really that much in my mind, cause I really want another Slam,” Gauff told Tennis Channel when asked if being top of the rankings was in her sights.
“It’s not something that I think about, I’d rather take away some more Slam trophies.”
The French Open has already begun, the qualifiers started on Monday, while the main draw begins on Sunday.
