PARIS (AP) – Coco Gauff successfully navigated through a challenging second round match at the French Open, despite struggling with her serve. The second-seeded player from the U.S. defeated the 172nd-ranked qualifier Tereza Valentova from the Czech Republic with a score of 6-2, 6-4 in just 75 minutes at Roland-Garros on a warm, partly cloudy afternoon on Thursday.
Throughout the match, Gauff faced difficulties with serving, yielding 23 unforced errors, which included six double-faults. She managed to hit only 11 winners, a figure five short of her less experienced opponent. Gauff's performance saw her broken five times during the contest, with four of those breaks occurring in the second set. However, she demonstrated resilience by breaking back immediately after each setback, showcasing her fighting spirit on the court.
“There is a sense of urgency after getting broken, for sure. You don’t want to get too far behind,” commented Gauff’s father, Corey. He noted that while Gauff has been one of the best returners on the tour recently, her focus should be on holding her serve. “It’s not really a break until you hold,” he added, emphasizing the importance of serving effectively as she progresses in the tournament.
On Saturday, May 31, 2025, Gauff will aim to reach the fourth round of the French Open for the fifth consecutive time, facing off against another Czech player, Marie Bouzkova. The stakes are high, as Gauff is keen to secure her first title at Roland-Garros, further solidifying her status in the sport.
Thursday's matches also saw other notable performances in the women's bracket. No. 3 seed Jessica Pegula, the 2022 U.S. Open runner-up, along with 18-year-old Mirra Andreeva and 2023 Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova, advanced in their respective matches. Vondrousova eliminated No. 25 seed Magdalena Frech with a scoreline of 6-0, 4-6, 6-3 on Court 6 before heading to the stands to watch Gauff's match against Valentova.
In the men's category, top-seed Jannik Sinner brought an end to the professional career of French player Richard Gasquet by defeating him decisively with a score of 6-3, 6-0, 6-4. Additionally, No. 3 Alexander Zverev and No. 14 Arthur Fils both secured victories, while 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic also competed late in the day against Corentin Moutet.
As the tournament progresses, the schedule for Roland-Garros on Friday features prominent players set to compete. World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka is slated to start her third-round match against Olga Danilovic at Court Philippe-Chatrier. In the evening session, defending champion Carlos Alcaraz will take on Damir Dzumhur, who is recovering from a knee injury sustained during his second-round win. Other matches include Iga Swiatek pursuing her quest for a fourth consecutive championship against Jaqueline Cristian, while 18-year-old qualifier Victoria Mboko from Canada battles Olympic gold medalist Zheng Qinwen. Additionally, an all-American matchup is set between No. 15 Frances Tiafoe and No. 23 Sebastian Korda.
