World No. 2 Coco Gauff reveals her favorites candidates to win Roland Garros

As the clay season reaches its pinnacle with Roland Garros, Coco Gauff is among the top contenders eyeing the trophy. The American star, who fell short in the 2022 French Open final, is seeking redemption this year. But she knows the field is stacked with talent, making it anyone’s tournament to win.

Speaking at a press conference ahead of her first-round match on Monday, May 26, against Olivia Gadecki, Gauff highlighted several players she considers serious threats while emphasizing the unpredictability of women’s tennis.

“Obviously, I hope I’m up there, but there’s Jasmine [Paolini], Aryna [Sabalenka], Iga [Swiatek], Qinwen [Zheng], Mirra [Andreeva], there are more I can name that all have the opportunity,” Gauff said. “Who knows, we’ve all seen things like the US Open when Emma [Raducanu] won, so literally anybody can win this tournament”.

The 2023 US Open winner believes this unpredictability is what makes the women’s game so exciting compared to the men’s side, where results are often more predictable.

Emma Raducanu won the 2021 US Open as a qualifier. Elsa/Getty Images)

“I think that’s what makes women’s tennis exciting,” she added. “This is why everybody should tune in. It’s maybe not so much like the men’s side, where you have the top three or four who you expect to win. With the women, there are so many possibilities. It makes each matchup equally exciting”.

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The French Open crown is up for grabs: Gauff, Sabalenka and Paolini eye Swiatek’s throne in Paris

Gauff reflects on 2022 French Open final

At just 21 years old, Gauff is striving to replicate her deep run from 2022, where she reached the final but was defeated by Iga Swiatek in straight sets, 6-1, 6-3. Looking back, Gauff admits that her performance left her disappointed, particularly with her mental approach to that match.

“It was a tough feeling for me because I felt like I very much underperformed in that final,” Gauff said. “Not necessarily game-wise, but I was very disappointed in how I approached that match mentally. I just felt like maybe I could never overcome that”.

Despite the loss, Gauff remains confident in her game on clay, citing her smooth transition from hard courts to the surface as a key advantage. “I’ve noticed that when I would go from hard to clay, it was pretty easy for me to transition to,” she explained. “I think especially with how heavy I hit on my forehand side, I definitely think it helps enhance that”.