Coco Gauff Eyes Clay Season Redemption

Coco Gauff, the world number three, acknowledged the difficulty in moving past her recent defeat at the Miami Open by Caroline Garcia, but is already focusing on the upcoming clay court season, including the second Grand Slam of the year. Gauff, competing in her local tournament in southern Florida, was defeated 6-3 1-6 6-2 by Garcia, the French player, in the fourth round amid several surprising outcomes at the event.

Gauff expressed to the media her struggle with handling losses, particularly this one, feeling she could have performed better and had control after winning the second set. She mentioned finding solace in being close to home, where she can recover in the comfort of her own bed.

While Gauff was hopeful for a stronger performance in the hardcourt season, she is now gearing up for the clay court segment, planning to participate in Stuttgart, followed by Madrid, Rome, and the French Open. Gauff, who is 20 years old and won the U.S. Open, reached the finals of the French Open in 2022, where she was defeated by Iga Swiatek.

On the other hand, Garcia, after defeating four-time major winner Naomi Osaka in the round before, was thrilled to make it to her first quarter-final of the season. The 30-year-old Garcia, reflecting on the past challenging months, found the victory particularly meaningful and looked forward to playing Danielle Collins next, praising the high quality of tennis played.