PARIS — In an energizing display on Saturday, Coco Gauff executed a strong opening in the third round of the French Open. She won an impressive 12 of the initial 15 points, swiftly establishing a 3-0 lead within the first ten minutes. The early phase of the match unfolded smoothly for Gauff. However, subsequent sets posed significant challenges for the 2023 U.S. Open champion, who came perilously close to dropping the second set. Nevertheless, she found her rhythm again, triumphing over Marie Bouzkova 6-1, 7-6 (3), thus ensuring her place in the second week at Roland-Garros for the fifth year running.
“Obviously,” Gauff remarked, “I can do some things better.” The 21-year-old from Florida, a finalist in Paris the previous year and currently ranked No. 2 for the clay-court Grand Slam, displayed resilience as she progressed.
Her upcoming match slated for Monday pits her against No. 20 seed Ekaterina Alexandrova, with both vying for a coveted quarterfinal slot. Gauff’s initial set win took merely 30 minutes, but the second evolved into a grueling 75-minute duel.
During this set, eight consecutive breaks of serve took place. Fireworks could be heard, emanating from the nearby Paris Saint-Germain soccer stadium, where fans prepared for a watch party ahead of the Champions League final against Inter Milan from Italy, which was scheduled for later that night in Munich, Germany.
“I served a bit more aggressively in the first set, which made holding serve easier. Unfortunately, I became too passive on the serve in the second set, enabling her to get back into the match,” Gauff reflected. “Maintaining an aggressive mindset is something I can improve for the next match.”
The critical moment in the second set arose when Gauff was down 5-3, with Bouzkova serving at 30-love. Despite Bouzkova’s opportunities to clinch the set and force a decider, Gauff’s relentless defense and tactical shot placement prevented her opponent from gaining the upper hand. One memorable rally saw Gauff deftly track down a drop shot, follow up with a solid volley return, and conclude with a dynamic overhead smash.
By the set’s conclusion, Gauff recorded 22 winners compared to Bouzkova’s 11 and succeeded in winning 11 out of 14 net appearances. She stands among five American women who have advanced to the fourth round, including No. 3 Jessica Pegula, No. 7 Madison Keys, No. 16 Amanda Anisimova, and the unseeded Hailey Baptiste.
On the men’s side, three Americans remained in contention entering Sunday. Keys, who previously seized the Australian Open title, displayed remarkable tenacity, saving three match points while trailing 5-4 in the final set. She ultimately secured a victory over 2020 Australian Open winner Sofia Kenin with scores of 4-6, 6-3, 7-5, setting a stage for her next match against world No. 70, Baptiste.
Anisimova will face top-seeded Aryna Sabalenka for a place in the quarterfinals. Meanwhile, Pegula, last year’s U.S. Open runner-up, is set to challenge French wild-card entrant Lois Boisson in her upcoming match.