Gauff’s French Open Defense Ends as Potapova Advances

A car accident couldn’t hinder Coco Gauff’s start to her French Open title defense. However, Anastasia Potapova, known for her ability to match Gauff in long baseline rallies, eventually ended the American’s journey in Paris. Potapova secured a 4-6, 7-6 (1), 6-4 victory against Gauff during the third round.

“She was able to finish the points and I wasn’t,” Gauff stated. “I missed key shots.” The match, played inside a mostly empty Court Philippe-Chatrier, took place while local fans opted to watch the Champions League soccer final instead.

Gauff’s last Grand Slam victory was at Roland Garros, where she overcame top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka in the final. Before defeating Taylor Townsend on Tuesday, Gauff encountered a car accident on her way to the tournament but remained uninjured, although her car was beyond repair.

Anastasia Potapova, ranked 30th and originally from Russia but now representing Austria, improved her record against Gauff to 3-2. Potapova has enjoyed a successful clay season, making it to the final in Linz, Austria, and reaching the semifinals of the Madrid Open as a qualifier.

Fourth-ranked Gauff had recently finished as a runner-up at the Italian Open after losing to Elina Svitolina in a final that mirrored her recent defeat in Paris. “I lost in the same way in Rome as I did here,” Gauff remarked. “Back-to-back losses like this are frustrating.” Potapova celebrated her win by falling on her back and covering her eyes after Gauff hit a forehand error on match point.

Despite Gauff’s three double-faults compared to Potapova’s eight, and her 46 unforced errors to Potapova’s 56, Potapova dominated longer rallies and outlasted Gauff physically, with Gauff covering 2,309 meters compared to Potapova’s 2,090.

Osaka’s Fashion and Performance

Earlier, Naomi Osaka secured a win against 18-year-old Iva Jovic, 7-6 (5), 6-7 (3), 6-4, during her 100th Grand Slam match. This victory set Osaka up for a round-of-16 face-off with Aryna Sabalenka. Osaka attracted attention with a metallic gold bomber jacket over a sequined playing dress and a long train, a signature look for her.

Osaka reflected on her unique fashion choices, stating, “It’s about having fun, making the game exciting for myself.” She noted that her outfits are planned well in advance, requiring multiple fittings throughout the year to adjust for changes in weight or fabric.

Men’s Highlights

The tournament endured hot and humid conditions for the seventh day, but a weather change was anticipated for the event’s second week. Meanwhile, Alejandro Tabilo defeated Moise Kouame and will play Felix Auger-Aliassime next. Auger-Aliassime, now the highest-seeded player in his bracket, won against Brandon Nakashima.

Juan Manuel Cerundolo advanced to face Wimbledon finalist Matteo Berrettini after a grueling five-set win against Martin Landaluce in the longest French Open match in six years. Flavio Cobolli will meet Zachary Svajda after his victory over Learner Tien. Frances Tiafoe also moved forward by overcoming Jaime Faria in a dramatic five-set match.