Gauff Sets Up Teenage Clash With 16-Year-Old Wonderkid At Roland Garros

Gauff Sets Up Teenage Clash With 16-Year-Old Wonderkid At Roland Garros

by Zachary Wimer

Coco Gauff will be playing in the third round of the 2023 Roland Garros after cruising past Julia Grabher.

The young American played a very difficult first-round match in Paris. She had to go into three sets with Rebeka Masarova, eventually winning the match. In the second round, she played against an opponent that she met earlier this year during the 2023 Billie Jean King Cup.

Back in July, Gauff allowed Grabher to win only four games and their first meeting on the WTA Tour outside of team competitions was very similar as the 2022 Roland Garros finalist made sure to continue her charge.

The Austrian had probably biggest chances in the first game of the match, but after Gauff saved two break points, she started her one-woman show. The teenager broke her opponent's serve three times and thanks to being broken only once, she won the opening set 6-2.

But the start of the second set was tricky for the American. She was broken twice, but recovered the break every time, eventually making to finally hold on her serve.

On the other hand, Grabher couldn't do that until the eighth game and after Gauff broke her for the third time in the second set, she faced a one-break deficit. The sixth seed used that to her advantage, winning the match 6-2, 6-3 in an hour and 9 minutes.

In the third round, Gauff will experience something that she doesn't experience quite often. She will play against an opponent younger than herself as 16-year-old Mirra Andreeva awaits in the next round of the competition.

The young Russian is one of the most talented players that appeared on the WTA Tour in recent years, probably the most talented since Gauff. Therefore, it promises to be an interesting match, even more interesting as the winner will probably clash with the defending champion and the top seed, Iga Swiatek.

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