Coco Gauff's day at the French Open started with a jolt—literally. The defending champion revealed after her first-round victory on Tuesday that she was involved in a minor car accident on her way to Roland Garros. But don't worry: she's perfectly fine and didn't let the scare slow her down one bit.
Speaking to TNT following a dominant 6-4, 6-0 win over fellow American Taylor Townsend, Gauff explained what happened. “We kind of got in a mini car accident on my way to the site today,” she said. “There’s this pole thing that’s supposed to go down, but the police told him [the driver] to go and we ran into it. You felt a little impact – I spilt my juice all over the car.”
The two-time Grand Slam champion kept her cool in the moment. “I was like, ‘We could keep going.’ But I walked out of the car and saw it wasn’t drivable, so we ended up taking a taxi.”
Once she arrived at Roland Garros under a blazing sun, Gauff showed no signs of the morning mishap. She powered through the heat and Townsend's challenge, dropping just four games in the entire match. It was a statement start to her title defense, especially after reaching the Italian Open final just 10 days ago.
“When I saw it was going to be hot, I definitely think it’s something I do well in and can thrive in a bit because of growing up in Florida,” Gauff said, via WTA. “I know some people try to practice early, but I try to sometimes practice in the prime of the day, even if it’s shorter, just to get used to, because you never know.”
The 20-year-old American now advances to the second round, where she'll face Mayar Sherif on Thursday. Given her form and confidence, she'll be a heavy favorite to keep rolling. The accident may have shaken up her morning commute, but it certainly didn't shake her game.
