PARIS — Coco Gauff obtained off to a terrific begin within the French Open’s third spherical Saturday, taking 12 of the primary 15 factors for a 3-0 lead after simply 10 minutes. The remainder of the opening set went easily, too.
Issues obtained a lot more durable from there, and the 2023 U.S. Open champion was merely two factors from dropping the second set, earlier than getting again in the suitable course and defeating Marie Bouzkova 6-1, 7-6 (3) to succeed in Week 2 at Roland-Garros for the fifth consecutive 12 months.
“Clearly,” Gauff mentioned, “I can do some issues higher.”
Gauff, a 21-year-old from Florida, was the runner-up in Paris in 2022 and is seeded No. 2 on the clay-court Grand Slam event this 12 months.
Subsequent up for her can be a matchup on Monday in opposition to No. 20 Ekaterina Alexandrova, with the winner transferring into the quarterfinals.
After needing only a half-hour to say the primary set Saturday, Gauff wound up in a 75-minute wrestle within the second.
That set included eight breaks of serve in a row because the sounds of popping fireworks drifted over to Court docket Philippe-Chatrier from the close by soccer stadium belonging to Paris Saint-Germain, whose followers have been gathering to attend a watch get together forward of the Champions League ultimate in opposition to Italy’s Inter Milan in Munich, Germany, later Saturday night time.
“I served a bit extra aggressive within the first set, so I used to be holding simpler, and possibly obtained a bit bit too passive on the serve within the second, and it allowed her to get again into the match,” Gauff mentioned. “Simply retaining the aggressive mindset is one thing that I can do higher for the subsequent match.”
The important thing within the second was when Gauff trailed 5-3, 30-love with Bouzkova serving. A complete of 4 instances, Bouzkova wanted to string collectively two consecutive factors to power a 3rd set.
However Gauff would not enable it, steadily stretching factors along with her terrific court docket protection till she may discover house to hit a winner. On one significantly memorable alternate, Gauff sprinted to barely attain a drop shot, scrambled into place to dam again a volley, then leaped for an overhead smash.
By the top, Gauff had greater than twice as many winners as Bouzkova within the second set, 22 to 11, and likewise helped herself by profitable the purpose on 11 of her 14 journeys to the online.
Gauff is considered one of 5 American ladies within the fourth spherical. The others are No. 3 Jessica Pegula, No. 7 Madison Keys, No. 16 Amanda Anisimova and unseeded Hailey Baptiste.
There have been three U.S. males nonetheless within the bracket heading into Sunday.
Keys, who received the Australian Open in January, saved three match factors whereas down 5-4 within the ultimate set and got here again to beat 2020 Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin 4-6, 6-3, 7-5. Keys now performs the Seventieth-ranked Baptiste.
Anisimova meets No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka for a spot within the quarterfinals, and Pegula — final 12 months’s U.S. Open runner-up — faces French wild-card entry Lois Boisson.
