Coco Gauff surpasses Serena Williams and matches Sharapova with third-round appearance at Roland Garros

Coco Gauff punched her ticket to the third round at Roland Garros on Wednesday with a straight-sets win over Tereza Valentova, 6-2, 6-4. With the victory, Gauff not only secured her spot in the next round, but also surpassed Serena Williams in a notable tournament milestone and matched Maria Sharapova’s mark, setting herself up for an even deeper run at the French Open.

Gauff looked composed and confident throughout the match, controlling play with consistency and power. Now eyeing a second career Grand Slam title, the 21-year-old American is building momentum at just the right time.

Wednesday’s win marked Gauff’s 22th career victory at the French Open, making her the youngest American in the Open Era to reach that milestone, surpassing the previous mark held by Serena Williams. It’s a testament to Gauff’s steady rise and current form on the WTA Tour.

Coming off back-to-back finals appearances on clay, Gauff enters the latter stages of the tournament as one of the top contenders. Still, the road to the title won’t be easy. Reigning champion Iga Swiatek remains in the draw and is chasing history of her own. A fourth consecutive title in Paris would make Swiatek the only woman in the Open Era to achieve that feat at Roland Garros.

Gauff matches Sharapova’s Roland Garros streak

Gauff’s second-round victory at the French Open wasn’t just a step toward a potential title, it also put her in elite company. With the win, the 21-year-old American advanced to the third round at Roland Garros for the fifth consecutive year, matching a feat last achieved by Maria Sharapova between 2004 and 2008.

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That kind of consistency on the clay in Paris speaks volumes about Gauff’s evolution on the surface, and it adds another impressive milestone to her growing résumé. As she heads into the next round, Gauff has one goal in mind: a maiden Roland Garros title.

Gauff passes the time with a nap

Before Gauff stepped on the court, she faced a lengthy delay while waiting for a men’s singles match to wrap up. But if the wait rattled her, she didn’t show it. “I took a nap and honestly was just on TikTok the whole time,” Gauff told tournament organizers after her straight-sets win.

Now, she’ll shift her focus to the third round, where she’ll face Czech opponent Marie Bouzkova. With momentum on her side and a place in history already secured, Gauff’s Paris campaign is gaining serious traction.