Just weeks ago, the second seed Coco Gauff faced heartbreak in back-to-back WTA 1000 finals, falling short in both Madrid and Rome despite her stellar form. “Obviously, two results that I’m just a little bit disappointed in. But you know, overall, I have a lot of confidence going into Roland Garros,” she reflected from the Italian red clay. That confidence lit up Paris last night as Gauff cruised past Marie Bouzkova into the fourth round. Among her admirers? None other than the iconic Venus Williams, now part of the TNT broadcast team, who’s not just praising Coco, but humbly admitting she hopes to learn a few things from her. And what are these things?

Coco Gauff burst out of the gates in her French Open 3rd-round match on Saturday, claiming 12 of the first 15 points to surge to a 3-0 lead in just 10 minutes. The 2023 U.S. Open champion looked firmly in control early on, cruising through the first set. However, the momentum shifted in the 2nd, with Gauff coming within two points of dropping the set. Still, the 21-year-old Floridian found her rhythm just in time, closing out Marie Bouzkova 6-1, 7-6 (3) to secure her spot in Week 2 at Roland-Garros for the 5th straight year.

Runner-up in Paris back in 2022, Gauff is eyeing another deep run. And among those believing in her magic? Venus Williams. Speaking on TNT’s broadcast after Coco Gauff’s gritty 3rd-round win, Venus Williams didn’t hold back her admiration for the young American. She praised Coco’s ability to stay composed under pressure and close the match with poise, “It was business as usual. She killed it. I hope she continues to just shine because she has the potential to win this title, right the stars have to align. It’s not easy to play great day in and day out, you’re going to have some bad days, but if you can figure out how to win on the bad days, it builds so much confidence, and you will definitely have bad days on this clay, you know.” 

The seven-time GS champion also shared a lighter moment, speaking about Gauff’s character and charm off the court. “She’s so sweet, she’s so humble, she’s so fierce, she’s so cool, she knows all the cool things ’cause she’s like young and knows. I’m like, ‘Can you teach me something?’ I was like, ‘I never heard of this person that you’re talking about that’s singing these songs.’ And that’s when you know, like maybe you’re getting over the hills when you don’t know the singer,” she said, laughing.

Venus Williams then shifted back to tennis, pointing out one major area where Coco Gauff might still grow. “So I admit it, but maybe Coco can teach me, but she’s just the best, and her passion for the game is so clear. She wants to win every point, and in fact, maybe she’s too hard on herself on the point she loses. It’s like it’s okay to lose a point every now and then,” she added.

On the court, with Saturday’s win, Gauff, who has recently lost to Jasmine Paolini at the Italian Open final, became the youngest American woman since Venus herself to reach the 4th round at seven consecutive Grand Slams, a remarkable feat last achieved by Venus between 1997 and 1999. As Gauff eyes the French Open glory, history may be on her side.

Coco Gauff opens up after the straight-set win at Paris

Coco Gauff made quick work of the opening set on Saturday’s third round, needing just 30 minutes to claim it. But the 2nd set turned into a gritty 75-minute battle, with Gauff pushed to the limit. The turning point came when she trailed 5-3, 30-love on Bouzkova’s serve. Four times, Bouzkova stood just two points away from forcing a third set, but Gauff refused to back down.

Using her signature court coverage, Gauff extended points until she could strike a winner. One highlight saw her dash to reach a drop shot, recover to block a volley, and leap for a commanding overhead smash. In the second set alone, she doubled Bouzkova’s winner count, 22 to 11, and dominated at the net, winning 11 of 14 approaches.

Reflecting on the match, the American gave credit to her opponent’s consistency while backing her form on the red clay. “Today, I was not so tired in the long rallies, it’s what I’m used to and what I expected today. So I just have trust in my training with that,” Gauff said. “Everyone who plays her struggles with that. Marie [Bouzkova] was playing well, putting a lot of balls back in the court. I felt like I had to generate a lot of the pace most points, it was difficult, but overall happy with how I was able to stay in that because it wasn’t easy.”

Up next, Gauff will take on 30-year-old Ekaterina Alexandrova for a spot in the QF. Holding a 3-1 head-to-head lead, Gauff will look to keep her momentum rolling. What do you think the scoreline will be?