{"id":879,"date":"2026-05-20T09:04:24","date_gmt":"2026-05-20T09:04:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/raleighmovingnews.com\/?p=879"},"modified":"2026-05-20T09:04:24","modified_gmt":"2026-05-20T09:04:24","slug":"french-open-26-coco-gauff-has-a-new-mindset-for-title-defense-and-more-confidence-on-her-serve","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/raleighmovingnews.com\/?p=879","title":{"rendered":"FRENCH OPEN \u201926: Coco Gauff has a new mindset for title defense and more confidence on her serve"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

Coco Gauff has a new approach for her second time around attempting to defend a Grand Slam title.<\/p>\n

Read more More record heat possible in central NC before Thursday front<\/a><\/p>\n

The American\u2019s strategy heading into the French Open \u2014 the clay-court major that starts Sunday and which she won a year ago \u2014 goes something like this: Don\u2019t think about it as defending something.<\/p>\n

\u201cI realize that the \u2018defending\u2019 means nothing in a way,\u201d Gauff said. \u201cI don\u2019t really look at it as defending anymore.\u201d<\/p>\n

Gauff\u2019s first Grand Slam title defense at the U.S. Open two years ago ended in the fourth round with 19 double faults.<\/p>\n

\u201cAt the U.S. Open I was like, \u2018I need to defend, defend.\u2019 When you\u2019re playing a tournament that you didn\u2019t win, what is it called?\u201d Gauff said recently in Rome. \u201cThat\u2019s why I just say now it\u2019s just another tournament: \u2018I won it last year. I\u2019ll try again to do it this year.\u2019 I\u2019m not going to be able to defend every year. I\u2019m not Rafa.\u201d<\/p>\n

Rafa, of course, would be Rafael Nadal, the record 14-time French Open champion.<\/p>\n

Gauff\u2019s first Roland Garros title came with a victory over top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka in the final a year ago.<\/p>\n

Just like last year, Gauff was the runner-up at the Italian Open \u2014 a major clay-court warmup for Roland Garros.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s a lot of positives I can take from this tournament and a lot I can learn from,\u201d Gauff said after losing the final in Rome to Elina Svitolina. \u201cThis week I experienced all the ups and downs of a tournament\u2026I\u2019ve been down, had the lead, lost the lead, I\u2019ve been in the final, been down match point. I think I\u2019ve experienced every scenario that can prepare me for Roland Garros.<\/p>\n

\u201cHopefully I can actually learn from each scenario and do better.\u201d<\/p>\n

Gauff sees improvement in her serve<\/h3>\n

Another big lesson that Gauff will take from Rome is a positive vibe on her serve after years of struggles.<\/p>\n

In two of her wins at the Foro Italico, she committed only one double fault. She then had seven in the final, though.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think it\u2019s a real improvement,\u201d Gauff said after getting 78% of her first serves in against Sorana Cirstea in the semifinals. \u201cIt\u2019s the first time in my career I feel like I\u2019m really stable with that shot.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s been an up-and-down process. I obviously don\u2019t want to jinx anything, but I think we found the recipe to making it more consistent. Now it\u2019s focusing on how to make it more of a weapon, how to serve smarter.\u201d<\/p>\n

Gauff also discussed what she\u2019s doing better technically on her serve.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m tossing a bit more consistent. My weight is a little bit better. Also just the trust, the confidence in it is a lot better,\u201d she said. \u201cBecause my confidence in it is better, then I\u2019m actually consistently tossing the ball in the right spot, having my technique be the same on each serve regardless where my target is. That\u2019s the biggest difference.\u201d<\/p>\n

Read more Rousey\u2019s return draws US-record MMA viewership for Netflix<\/a><\/p>\n

Sabalenka struggling on clay<\/h3>\n

While Sabalenka remains unbeatable at times on hard courts \u2013 see her \u201cSunshine Double\u201d this year with titles in Indian Wells, California and Miami \u2013 she is still perfecting her game on clay.<\/p>\n

She was upset by American Hailey Baptiste in the Madrid Open quarterfinals and then the No. 1 player was beaten in the third round at the Italian Open by 36-year-old Cirstea.<\/p>\n

Sabalenka appeared visibly bothered by lower back pain in Rome.<\/p>\n

Elena Rybakina, ranked No. 2 and this year\u2019s Australian Open champion, is another player who excels on hard courts and has achieved mixed results on clay.<\/p>\n

Iga Swiatek, the four-time French Open champion, lost to Svitolina in the Rome semifinals and is still reshaping her game under a new coach, Francisco Roig, who used to work with Nadal.<\/p>\n

Swiatek\u2019s 26-match winning streak at Roland Garros ended in the semifinals last year with a loss to Sabalenka.<\/p>\n

Ukraine contenders<\/h3>\n

Marta Kostyuk won the Madrid Open and then withdrew from the Italian Open due to hip and ankle issues.<\/p>\n

Svitolina, who is from Ukraine like Kostyuk, claimed the Rome title for her first WTA 1000 trophy in eight years \u2014 and is back in the top 10 after a maternity leave. But she\u2019s never been past the semifinals of a Grand Slam \u2014 and never past the quarterfinals at the French Open.<\/p>\n

Mirra Andreeva is only 19 but already performing on all surfaces. The Russian won a title on clay in Linz, Austria, and then reached the Madrid final before losing to Gauff in three sets in the Rome quarterfinals.<\/p>\n

At the other end of the age spectrum, Cirstea is having a breakthrough season at age 36 with a run to the Rome semifinals. She plans to retire at the end of the year.<\/p>\n

Jessica Pegula, the No. 5 player, suggested that there\u2019s a long list of possible title contenders.<\/p>\n

\u201cEspecially on clay, it\u2019s always like that,\u201d Pegula said. \u201cThere\u2019s a lot more chances for people.\u201d<\/p>\n

Read more Jason Kidd is out as coach of the Mavericks, 2 weeks after the hiring of team president Masai Ujiri<\/a><\/p>\n

___<\/p>\n

AP tennis: https:\/\/apnews.com\/hub\/tennis<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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