Coco Gauff may not have been at her clinical best, but the American star showed her grit and resilience as she battled past junior champion Nikola Bartůňková Valentová in a tense second-round clash. Despite struggling with her serve, especially with double faults at crucial moments, Gauff powered through to claim a 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 victory and book her spot in the next round.
The match, held on Court Suzanne-Lenglen, offered plenty of drama and showcased why Gauff remains one of the most compelling figures in women’s tennis today. From the start, it was evident that the 20-year-old was not in full control of her serve. She racked up nine double faults over the course of the match, several of them coming on break points. But what she lacked in serving precision, she more than made up for in baseline aggression and court coverage.
Valentová, the reigning girls’ singles champion and one of the most exciting young players from the Czech Republic, pushed Gauff to the limit. Just 17 years old, Valentová showed poise beyond her years, taking advantage of Gauff’s shaky second serve and constantly forcing her into long, physical rallies. After losing the first set 6-4, Valentová responded with confidence in the second, breaking Gauff twice and sealing the set 6-3 with a powerful forehand down the line.
As the match entered the third set, Gauff dug deep. Though her serve continued to cause problems, she turned up the intensity on her returns and began stepping into the court to dictate points. At 2-2, she secured a critical break after a long deuce game, then consolidated with a strong service hold that featured two aces. From there, Gauff never looked back. She closed out the match with a final break, letting out a loud “Come on!” as the crowd rose in applause.
In her post-match interview, Gauff admitted to being frustrated by her serving woes but said she was proud of how she handled the pressure. “It definitely wasn’t pretty at times,” she said with a smile, “but matches like these build character. Nikola played incredible tennis today. She’s definitely going to be a big name in the future.”
With the win, Gauff advances to the third round, where she is set to face another challenging opponent. As one of the top seeds in the tournament, expectations are high for her to make a deep run. However, she’ll need to tighten up her serve if she wants to go far against more experienced and powerful players in the draw.
For Valentová, the match was a valuable learning experience. Pushing a top-ranked player to three sets on such a big stage is no small feat, and her talent was on full display. It may not have been her day, but the tennis world will surely hear more from her in the years to come.
In the end, double faults aside, Coco Gauff found a way. And champions always do.
