Coco Gauff was cruising 4-love on the qualfier Martina Trevisan in the second round of Roland Garros but ended up blowing the match 64 26 57 to the Italian lefty.
I watched the match to 4-0 and retired for the evening, expecting a total blowout win for Gauff, to successfully follow up her first round triumph over last year’s semifinalist Johanna Konta 63 63 but reading the scoreline this morning was a real shocker. The WTA site shared no details about the match.
It’s been a very average 2020 for 16 year old Gauff based on the high standards she set last year.
Gauff lost in three sets to eventual champ Sofia Kenin in Australia.
After the virus hiatus, she lost in the semis to Jenn Brady in Kentucky 62 64.
Then she lost in the first round of Cincy Open to Maria Sakkari 61 63.
US Open was another disappointment for Gauff, as she lost first round to Anastasija Sevastova 36 75 46.
Then in Rome, Gauff beat Ons Jabeur but then lost a three setter to Garbine Muguruza.
Gauff is now a mediocre 5-5 on the year after the virus hiatus. Not the stuff of legend. Not what the tennis world was expecting after her stellar 2019 which was highlighted by third round at US Open (loss to Osaka), round of 16 at Wimbledon (loss to Halep), and winning Linz Indoors (defeated Ostapenko in final).
Now the questions and whispers will begin: Is Gauff being rushed to stardom too fast? Has Gauff’s activities with black activism disrupted her development by wasting energy that does not benefit her tennis? Has all the media and fan attention stunted her growth as a player and person?
Is it healthy for a sixteen year old girl expected by more than a few people to become the best tennis player in the world while juggling real life, media, training, competitive enemies and pressure? Remember, there are no friends on the tennis court.
Is Gauff having trouble enjoying life on the tour with very few friends and really only one peer – junior rival and friend Caty Mcnally?
Gauff is still doing well in Paris in the doubles, with Mcnally they are leading French girls Droguet and Janicijevic 60 25 right now as I post this article.
Scoop Malinowski · October 1, 2020 at 10:24 am
First major match win for Trevisan, Gauff plagued by a lot of double faults. Serve is a big issue, it was a vulnerability in the Konta win too, struggled to close out first set with four DFs that game too. Fixable flaw though.