Coco Gauff Embraces New Mindset Ahead of French Open Title Defense

Coco Gauff entered the French Open with a deliberate shift away from the notion of defending a title. She called the event “just another tournament” and said the label “defending” holds little practical meaning for her preparation. Simultaneously, she emphasized technical refinements to her serve—more consistent toss, improved weight transfer, and heightened confidence that let her repeat the same motion across target zones.

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In 2023 Gauff won her first Roland Garros title, defeating world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka. She was runner-up at the Italian Open, losing to Elina Svitolina after multiple lead changes. Her prior Grand Slam defense attempt at the 2022 US Open ended in the fourth round with 19 double faults. These results shape her present focus on incremental improvement over defending pressure.

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In Rome, Gauff recorded one double fault in each of her two wins at the Foro Italico but made seven in the final loss to Svitolina. Against Sorana Cirstea in the semifinals she posted a 78 % first-serve-in rate. She attributed the steadier serve to a more consistent toss and improved weight transfer.

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Gauff said she no longer frames the tournament as a defense, treating it as a chance to apply lessons from recent matches, including the fluctuations she faced in Rome. She added that increased confidence in her serve lets her use the same technique across all target zones. Top-10 player Jessica Pegula noted that clay events usually feature a wider pool of contenders.

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Defending a Grand Slam is statistically rare, highlighted by Gauff’s fourth-round loss at the 2022 US Open. The clay season also includes strong rivals: Sabalenka, dealing with back pain; Swiatek, a four-time French Open champion adapting under coach Francisco Roig; and Svitolina, who won the Rome title after an eight-year gap. These elements fuel skepticism about Gauff’s chances.

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• “I realize that the 'defending' means nothing in a way,” — Coco Gauff, American tennis player

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• “It's the first time in my career I feel like I'm really stable with that shot.” — Coco Gauff, American tennis player

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• “Especially on clay, it's always like that,” — Jessica Pegula, No. 5 player

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The French Open starts on Sunday. While Gauff’s first-round opponent is not named in the sources, her recent Rome form places her among a field that includes Sabalenka, Swiatek and Svitolina. Observers will assess whether her new mindset and serve tweaks lead to deeper progress at Roland Garros.

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