Coco Gauff shares a light moment after realising her racquets were still in the locker room, before cruising into the second round at Roland Garros. Image: Javier García/Shutterstock.
(The Post News)– Coco Gauff’s French Open journey kicked off with a moment of comedy; she stepped onto Court Philippe-Chatrier ready to face Olivia Gadecki, only to discover she’d left her racquets behind in the locker room.
“I thought they were in there,” she told the umpire, visibly amused. Thankfully, a speedy ball boy fetched them just in time, and once armed with her tools, Gauff wasted no time dismantling Gadecki 6-2, 6-2 in just over an hour.
Laughing off the moment, Gauff playfully pointed fingers at her coach, saying he’s usually the one who packs her gear due to a longstanding superstition. She admitted the mix-up surprisingly helped calm her nerves, making her feel more relaxed than she typically does during Grand Slam openers.
Her next opponent is Czech qualifier Tereza Valentova, who edged out local favourite Chloe Paquet in blustery conditions. Gauff is aware of the tricky weather, noting that the swirling wind created two totally different playing experiences depending on court side. Despite seven double faults, she was pleased with how she adapted.
The 21-year-old is no stranger to the French Open spotlight; she reached her first senior Grand Slam final here in 2022 and went on to claim her maiden major title at the US Open in 2023. She enters this year’s Roland Garros after two runner-up finishes in Madrid and Rome, showing she’s bringing heat, racquets or not.
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