Reigning French Open champion Coco Gauff is beginning her clay season in Stuttgart.
Coco Gauff is again in motion on the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix (Picture: Getty)
Coco Gauff is beginning her clay season on the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in Stuttgart, an indoor WTA 500 occasion, the place she has by no means been past the quarter-finals. Lately, Gauff has been ranked excessive sufficient to obtain a bye via the primary spherical. However she has by no means gained two matches on the trot in Stuttgart, and can be hoping to alter that in 2026.
Most American gamers usually select to enter the Charleston Open, a WTA 500 match staged on inexperienced clay the week after the Miami Open, after which skip Stuttgart earlier than jetting to Europe for the Madrid Open, Italian Open, and Roland Garros. However Gauff has remained loyal to the indoor clay-court occasion, though she admitted she didn’t “do properly” in Stuttgart.
The world No. 3 is the reigning French Open champion and does properly on the clay. And her precedence is to peak at Roland Garros, so she doesn’t need to change her schedule an excessive amount of, even when she has been tempted to compete within the States.
“I imply, the principle factor is, I imply, I’ve all the time accomplished properly at Roland Garros. Final couple years have been quarters or higher. Previous few years, semis or higher. Anytime, that is the objective, is to peak at that match. That is the principle motivation retaining that schedule, as a result of it has labored properly for me,” she defined.
Gauff, who’s the second seed on the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix this week, can be hopeful her luck can change right here. She continued: “Though I do not usually do properly in Stuttgart, it isn’t a match I essentially thrive at. Hopefully, this yr can change.
“Miami was a match I did not thrive at, and I did properly. I might like to do higher right here. The primary factor I care about is Roland Garros and the way I do there. That is the principle purpose for the motivation of that.
Coco Gauff has by no means been past the quarter-finals of the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix (Picture: Getty)
“There’s undoubtedly years, there are occasions I take into consideration perhaps taking part in [Charleston] and never taking part in right here. I do not suppose there is a state of affairs the place I might do each as a result of it is lots of tennis. This match treats me properly. I like coming right here. Although I do not do properly right here, I nonetheless have a superb time right here. I feel that is all that issues.”
One purpose Gauff could not have accomplished properly in Stuttgart is as a result of the match is held indoors, and doesn’t replicate the clay surfaces used at different tournaments on this stretch. She defined: “I feel the clay is exclusive right here.
“It is slightly bit slippery, so it is laborious to regulate to. Clearly, the indoor part is one thing I am not used to seeing until the tip of the yr. It is totally different for positive. It is undoubtedly the least comfy match I really feel on courtroom, on the clay, throughout the clay season. However I feel it is nice to start out a match the place it feels slightly bit tougher. It makes the remainder of the season really feel slightly bit simpler.”
Gauff obtained a bye instantly into the spherical of 16 as soon as once more and can face world No. 21 Liudmila Samsonova in her opening match. Ought to she progress to the quarter-finals, the two-time Grand Slam champion may meet seventh seed Karolina Muchova, whom she has by no means misplaced to.
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