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Tuesday, May 27, 2025

RG.3- The Gauff Gaffe or: How Coco Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Her Rackets

There is no fighting in the War Room, and there is no playing winning tennis without a racket.




So... Coco Gauff is human. We all knew that, but sometimes it's the little things that prove it. You know, like forgetting to bring along your rackets when you show up to play a tennis match on Court Philippe-Chatrier. That's what Coco did today.

(insert the traditional head slap images here)




But while Gauff may have started the day with her own personal "Thurman Thomas moment," all turned out fine in the end. Well, maybe not if you're Olivia Gadecki. But the Aussie will probably settle for playing second fiddle to an empty racket bag, considering Gauff proceeded to make their 1st Round match, a 6-2/6-2 win for the #2 seed, a pretty open-and-shut affair after her initial "Gauff Gaffe."



If three-time defending champ Iga Swiatek isn't the *true* "favorite" at this Roland Garros -- and she isn't until proven otherwise, something which will only come to pass if she *does* indeed win her fourth consecutive women's title -- then who is? #1 Aryna Sabalenka? She's never reached the final in Paris. Alona Ostapenko? One of two former champions (w/ Barbora Krejcikova) in the MD who are not named Iga, she's as likely to dazzle and implode on any given day. So why not Gauff?

With this win, Gauff is 21-5 in her RG career, and has reached a final (2022) and is less than a year off her semifinal result in Paris in '24. The 21-year old has reached at least the Round of 16 at the last six majors, and at nine of the last 10. 12-3 on clay this season, this spring Gauff reached the finals of both Madrid and Rome, becoming just the seventh woman to do so (and there had only been four before Swiatek and Sabalenka *both* did it last year).

Four of the previous six who reached the two biggest pre-RG clay finals in the same season also went on to play in the title match in Paris. Gauff now stands five wins from becoming the fifth.

Of course, *today's* match -- and maybe this tournament, if things go right -- will largely be recalled (the video and photos are just too good for it not to be the case) for something other than any single result. So why not lean into it? After the match, Gauff did just that. As usual, she *gets* it.



Hey, look at it this way... if Coco goes on to win this RG title, she's already got her funny little anecdote about the experience teed up and ready to recount to assured chuckles for the rest of time.

Now she can just focus on the tennis. And, you know, packing her rackets before her 2nd Round match.







=DAY 3 NOTES=
...at 35 (36 this summer), Victoria Azarenka was the third-oldest player in this RG's women's singles draw behind 37-year old Germans Tatjana Maria and Laura Siegemund. My, how time flies.

The former #1 and two-time slam champion has both *been there* and *not been there* in 2025 as she's dealt with lingering injuries -- most notably retiring in Miami with what looked like a serious shoulder injury, and then (only) missing the next month -- after facing similar minor-to-annoying issues throughout '24. Still, even with that reality, Azarenka managed to win 30 matches last season, her most since 2015. While so many others in her tennis generation -- many of whom have *already* exited, and a few who've even done that *and* returned -- have recently faced consistent questions about how low they'll keep playing, Azarenka seems to have (thankfully) slipped through a virtual loophole in that ongoing conversation, quite possibly because she lost quite a bit of time a few years back due to a then-ongoing custody battle for her son Leo, now her constant companion and consistent social media presence that has served to round off some of the sharp edges that the Belarusian carried with her -- from the public's perspective, at least -- early in her career.

Vika has become a beloved figure on the tennis scene as time has gone by. She doesn't win as big or as often as she once did (her last WTA singles final was in the October-held Indian Wells in '21, and her last title was the Cincy-in-NYC event in '20, which was followed by a U.S. Open final run), but to think of a WTA tour without Azarenka is not a reality that feels "right." Not yet, anyway. And if she can play like she did in her '25 RG opener today, there's no reason to think that that moment can't still yet be held off for a nice chunk of time.



Facing off with veteran Yanina Wickmayer, who just announced that *she* will retire at Wimbledon, Azarenka blasted into the 2nd Round with a double-bagel win, giving her three straight decades with such a victory in slam play.

Azarenka, currently ranked #75, isn't a threat to win this tournament, nor probably even reach the second week. She came to Paris with just five wins on the season, no multiple-win events since the U.S. Open, and her best results on the terre battue all came more than a decade ago ('13 SF, '09/'11 QF).

But that doesn't mean it isn't great to see Vika in winning form again. Hopefully we can keep her around for as long as possible, and until that's no longer the case we should at least make a habit of appreciating her as much as we can.

...elsewhere on Day 3, Marketa Vondrousova was actually healthy enough to make her 1st Round match. For most of many recent seasons, that's been a situation that hasn't been the odds-on favorite.

The 2023 Wimbledon champ, who'd already missed much time in the past with wrist injuries, reached the QF at Roland Garros last year, her best result in Paris since reaching the '19 final. But after failing to successfully defend her crown at SW19, she missed the rest of the season with more issues with her hand. The Czech finally returned at the start of the '25 season, but then had to pull out of the AO. After returning in February, she missed more time with a shoulder injury. After initially being expected to play in Rome, she withdrew.

But Vondrousova played *and* won today, defeating qualifier Oksana Selekhmeteva 6-4/6-4, getting her first win since Abu Dhabi. This comes just a day after the always-injured (it seems) Barbora Krejickova, who won the '24 Wimbledon crown that her countrywoman could not, notched a 1st Round win. Maybe we'll be able to say the same about Petra Kvitova come Wimbledon, and maybe even Karolina Pliskova soon after that.

On this subject, in the last women's match to be completed on Tuesday, #14-seeded Czech Karolina Muchova, a finalist in 2023, played (and lost) the first RG match she's played since the final two years ago. She missed the event last year due to injury, and again showed up for another slam either not 100% or not fully prepared after having been through an injury/illness.

Muchova said she missed Madrid and Rome due to illness, and maybe wasn't ready for full match action anyway, but seemed to be favoring her bad wrist today, so who knows? Either way, she lost to Alycia Parks, 6-3/2-6/6-1.

No player on tour plays with the silky smoothness and creativity of Muchova, but if she's not 100% (or close to it) she barely registers as far as results go. Usually, she'll try to play for weeks and weeks anyway, and it's often not pretty. When she *is* playing at her full instinctual level, she can beat anyone and play as far into the draw (but maybe not win the title) as anyone. Hence her SF+ runs at three different majors (and a Career QF Slam at all four) despite rarely ever showing up in her preferred form and/or full health due to her body never allowing her to build a solid foundation over the course of a *whole* season and/or (even) offseason.

If one is looking for a rebound in London, things haven't gone well for her there lately. Muchova has lost three straight times in the 1st Round at Wimbledon, but that was after QF runs in her first two appearances. So... well, I guess that means she'll just become the third straight Czech to lift the Venus Rosewater Dish, right?

It's a good thing the Czech contingent is so deep (and overwhelmingly streaked with youngsters), because the attrition amongst the biggest-achieving veteran women who've been at the top of the heap is quite remarkable.

...speaking of that deep Crusher crew, another one recorded her maiden slam MD win today, following in the footsteps of 19-year old countrywoman Sara Bejlek the other day. This time it was 18-year old Tereza Valentova's turn to shine.



In many ways, Valentova gives some indication that she could end up being *the* Czech of her generation, but one hestitates to say such a thing considering how many talents there are to choose from. On this day, though, she surely was.

Less than a year after sweeping the RG junior s/d crowns, Valentova qualified last week to reach her maiden slam MD. She trailed France's Chloe Paquet 5-2 in the 3rd today, and saw the Pastry get within two points of victory, serving up 5-3, 30/love. But the world #172, who has already won a pair of $75K challengers this season (and four of them since March '24), didn't go down without a fight. Then she didn't go out at all. Valentova rallied to claim the final five games of the match to get her first major match win.

And so it begins?



...a few days ago, Nao Hibino was lucky to be here. The Japanese veteran *twice* had to stage unexpected comebacks to make it through qualifying, recovering from being 6-2/5-3 down vs. Bianca Andreescu in the Q2 in Paris, saving a MP and then staging a rally from 5-2 back in a 2nd set TB before winning in three, then in the final round she saved two more MP vs. Ella Seidel.

Though just 2-6 in her RG career (which, believe it or not, makes RG the *best* major for the three-time WTA singles champ) , Hibino kept up the good vibes and posted her first MD win in Paris since 2021 today with a 6-1/7-5 win over countrywoman Moyuka Uchijama, a quarterfinalist earlier this spring in Madrid.

Meanwhile, #23 Beatriz Haddad Maia got a boost last week with a SF result in Strasbourg after what had been an atrocious start to her season. The carry-over lasted one set in Paris, as after winning the 1st over Hailey Baptiste the Brazilian got just four games the rest of the way in a 4-6/6-3/6-1 contest.



Baptiste has now recorded a 1st Round victory in three of her four RG MD appearances (she's a combined 1-of-4 at the other majors), keeping up her Most Improved Player nomination status in a season in which she's moved into the Top 70, reached 3rd Rounds in Miami and Rome, and played in her first tour-level QF in Auckland.

...later, France, after seeing six of the nation's first seven women's players sent packing on Days 1 and 2, finally got a second "W" on the board on Day 3. Then a third.



Facing off with Maria Sakkari, unseeded at a major for the first time since AO19, 2020 RG junior champ Jacquemot picked up her second career slam MD win via a 6-3/7-6(4) victory. Sakkari had twice served for the 2nd set.

Both of #138 Jacquemot's slam wins (w/ RG '22) have come in Paris, where she'd been given a MD wild card on both occasions.

Meanwhile, Sakkari's initial post-coaching change surge after reuniting with former/new-again coach Tom Hill looks to have worn off and the real work -- if it's going to come -- is beginning only now. The Greek had posted an immediate 4th Round result in Madrid once Hill returned, getting her first Top 10 win (def. Paolini, who'd win Rome two weeks later) in fourteen months, then qualified at the Italian Open, got a 1st Round retirement win vs. Belinda Bencic and led Magda Linette 6-1/4-3, 30/love in the 2nd Round. Her lead collapsed and she ended up losing that match, and then exited early today, falling in the 1st Round of a third straight major. It's her sixth one-and-done in her last nine slam appearances.

Sakkari came in already staring up the side of a tall mountain, ranked #90 and seeing her string of 23 consecutive seeds at a major come to an end at this event. Since her two SF (RG/US) season of 2021, when she was 11-4 combined in slam play, Sakkari has gone 12-14 in major action.

Of course, Sakkari is still "gonna Sakkari," as even with her early exit her "live" standing has her ranking going *up* to #84.

Not long afterward, Pastry luck turned upward again...



It took an additional year for Lois Boisson to make her RG debut, but it might have been worth it on Tuesday for the 22-year old wild card, who got her maiden slam MD win in her first try vs. #24 Elise Mertens, winning 6-4/4-6/6-3.

In 2024, Boisson had been a French woman on the rise, winning three ITF titles (one a $75K) and a 125 at Saint-Malo, earning a Roland Garros WC into what would be her maiden slam MD. But in her final event (the Paris 125) before heading to RG she injured her knee and missed the rest of the season. She returned to action in February, and seems to have not missed a beat. In her fourth event, she reached a $35K final, then a SF. She *won* a $75K title in her most recent event, earning a second straight RG wild card. Not playing the Paris 125 this year, she was ready to make her moment on Day 3.

Ranked #152 last May before her upward progression was (temporarily) stalled, Boisson came into this slam at #361 but maybe still carrying with her that residue of promise that was beginning to cling to her name early last year. With one big win, the climb has started anew.

Maybe France *does* have a young player upon which to rest some tangible hope.



...the first-timers have been on fire at this RG. With the 1st Round complete, six of the nine women making their slam MD debut advanced to the 2nd Round. Such players were just 1-3 in the 1st Round in Melbourne (and 1-4 overall for the AO). The last to make her way through today was Joanna Garland, as the 23-year old from Taiwan defeated Katie Volynets 6-3/3-6/6-4, rallying from 3-0 down in the 3rd.



Garland has been working her way into this spot for a while, most specifically since just this last October. From that time until now, she's gone 60-10 (31-9 in '25 after ending '24 on a 29-1 tear) and is 9-1 in ITF finals, including winning four this season (behind only Victoria Mboko's circuit-leading five). Ranked #551 in November, Garland came into Paris at #175 and is up to #141 in the "live" rankings.

Thing is, with so many newcomers getting wins it means the potential Upset Queens/Revelation Ladies winners are really spread out.

Just based on sheer numbers, the Bannerettes *have* to get one of the honors, as the group went an impressive 14-5, and that's with two seeds (tied w/ CZE for the most) being sent out. No one got their first slam MD win, but Iva Jovic was the youngest player in the women's draw, and the likes of Ashlyn Krueger, Alycia Parks, Robin Montgomery, Hailey Baptiste, Ann Li and maybe a few others surely make up a sizeable group of oncoming talent behind the big names already in the Top 10. So... "Revelation Ladies."

Spain put on some pressure for UQ with Jessica Bouzas Maneiro knocking off Emma Navarro and Leyre Romero Gormaz getting her first MD win, but I can't pass over the group that includes a young Crush of Czechs. Both Sara Bejlek (over #26 Kostyuk) and Tereza Valentova got their first wins in upsets, while the established Marie Bouzkova got a seeded victim in #30 Anna Kalinskaya, tying the U.S. for the most seeded upsets just as the two tied for the most seeds knocked off. "Upset Queens" it is.

Hmmm, the "Nation of Poor Souls?" France *had* it wrapped up with a 1-6 start (w/ Garcia's final RG bow, Mladenovic's absence and Cornet holding a mic rather than a racket sprinkled in for spice), but then Elsa Jacquemot and Lois Boisson happened. So... France.

Argentina went 0-3 in the 1st Round, but it was a big accomplishment to just get three in the draw. Belgium was 0-3, but other than Mertens it doesn't feel that "off" a result. Same with Germany's 1-3 mark (plus, Eva Lys won a big one), since two of the nation's best young players (Seidel and Niemeier, namely) both failed to get out of qualifying. Australia was 2-5, though... with one win coming in an AUS-vs.-AUS match-up (Tomljanovic def. Joint, this time) and the other from a player who has yet to actually *live* Down Under (Kasatkina).

The Aussies aren't a perfect choice, but they'll have to do.






...SO, AirCARO WILL FLY A *FEW* MORE TIMES... ON DAY 3:


Garcia is still planning on playing, at least, Wimbledon and the U.S. Open, and the inaugural women's Queen's Club grass event in London.




...THAT'S GREAT, BUT ISN'T SHE *ALSO* THE FIRST TO DO IT ON A TUESDAY IN THE THREE-DAY 1st ROUND FORMAT (oh, and what was the exact time she converted MP? She'd be the first to do it at that exact time, too, I'm sure!)... ON DAY 3:



Also, I guess if you can squeeze Serena's name into anything regarding a player today, one will go ahead and do it. Sort of like TNT inserting her highlights into the opening montage of its first-ever RG coverage as if she's still active when she retired almost three years ago.


...INTERESTING TAKES BY SABALENKA... ON DAY 3:
























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**RG 1st ROUND**
[highlights]
TOTAL MD NATIONS: 39
IN 2nd RD. (26 nations): 14-USA,6-RUS,5-CZE,4-UKR
"BEST" 1st RD (w/ L): 14-5 (USA); 4-2 (UKR); 3-1 (ESP,GBR,ROU)
UNDEFEATED 1st RD.: 2-0 (BLR,KAZ,SUI); 1-0 (5 nations)
WORST 1st RD. (2+): 0-3 (ARG,BEL); 1-3 (GER); 2-5 (AUS)
SEEDS OUT: 9 (2-CZE,2-USA; 1-BEL,BRA,CAN,RUS,UKR)
WINS OVER SEEDS: 2-CZE,2-USA; 1-ESP,FRA,GER,RUS,SRB
[BY NATION - alphabetical]
0-3 - ARG
0-1 - ARM
2-5 - AUS
0-3 - BEL
2-0 - BLR
0-1 - BRA
0-1 - BUL
1-1 - CAN
1-2 - CHN
1-1 - COL
1-0 - CRO
5-4 - CZE
1-0 - DEN
0-1 - EGY
3-1 - ESP
3-6 - FRA
3-1 - GBR
1-3 - GER
0-1 - GRE
1-0 - HUN
2-2 - ITA
1-2 - JPN
2-0 - KAZ
1-0 - LAT
0-1 - MEX
1-1 - NED
0-1 - NZL
0-1 - PHI
2-1 - POL
3-1 - ROU
6-7 - RUS
1-1 - SRB
2-0 - SUI
0-1 - SVK
1-0 - TPE
0-1 - TUN
0-1 - TUR
4-2 - UKR
14-5 - USA

*2024 FIRST CAREER SLAM MD WINS (w/ career slam MD)
-AUSTRALIAN OPEN (5)-
Brenda Fruhvirtova, CZE (3rd)
McCartney Kessler, USA (1st)
Alina Korneeva, RUS (1st)
Maria Timofeeva, RUS (1st)
Anastasia Zakharova, RUS (1st)
-ROLAND GARROS (7)-
Emiliana Arango, COL (1st)
Sara Bejlek, CZE (6th)
Lois Boisson, FRA (1st)
Joanna Garland, TPE (1st)
Victoria Mboko, CAN (1st)
Leyre Romero Gormaz, ESP (1st)
Tereza Valentova, CZE (1st)

*MAIDEN CAREER SLAM MD WINS - 2020-25*
-ROLAND GARROS (31)-
2020 Irina Bara, ROU
2020 Clara Burel, FRA
2020 Jasmine Paolini, ITA
2020 Nadia Podoroska, ARG
2020 Anastasia Rakhimova, RUS
2020 Clara Tauson, DEN
2020 Martina Trevisan, ITA
2020 Renata Zarazua, MEX
2021 Hailey Baptiste, USA
2021 Tereza Martincova, CZE
2021 Harmony Tan, FRA
2022 Fernanda Contreras, MEX
2022 Elsa Jacquemot, FRA
2022 Leolia Jeanjean, FRA
2022 Katie Volynets, USA
2023 Mirra Andreeva, RUS
2023 Elina Avanesyan, RUS
2023 Julia Grabher, AUT
2023 Emma Navarro, USA
2023 Linda Noskova, CZE
2023 Iryna Shymanovich, BLR
2023 Peyton Stearns, USA
2023 Simona Waltert, SUI
2024 Moyuka Uchjima, JPN
2025 Emiliana Arango, COL
2025 Sara Bejlek, CZE
2025 Lois Boisson, FRA
2025 Joanna Garland, TPE
2025 Victoria Mboko, CAN
2025 Leyre Romero Gormaz, ESP
2025 Tereza Valentova, CZE

*RECENT RG "REVELATION LADIES" WINNERS' NATION/REGION*
2016 France
2017 Muslim women
2018 Romania
2019 Russia
2020 Romania
2021 Czech Republic
2022 Czech Republic
2023 Russia
2024 China
2025 United States

*RECENT RG "UPSET QUEENS" NATION/REGION*
2016 South America
2017 South America
2018 Ukraine
2019 Russia
2020 Australia
2021 Slovenia
2022 France
2023 Italy
2024 United States
2025 Czech Republic

*RG "NATIONS OF POOR SOULS"*
[2018]
LAT (both DC Ostapenko & Sevastova out 1st Rd.)
[2019]
ITA (0-2; first none in RG 2nd Rd. since 1982)
[2020]
USA (4 seeds pre-3r, Serena w/d 2r, US QF/SF Rogers/Brady 1r, Venus 1r, Gauff 2r w/ 19 DF)
[2021]
GER (0-3 in 1st Rd.; Kerber FSO 2 con GS/2 of 3 RG; Siegemund 1r)
[2022]
HUN (0-4 in 1st Rd.; Galfi 2 MP in loss)
[2023]
CZE (3-9 in 1st Rd.; four seeds out 1r; Krej. 0-2 since '21 title; 24 con. slam WD streak ends)
[2024]
GER (1-5 in 1st Rd.)
[2025]
AUS (2-5 in 1st Rd.; wins in AUS/AUS match-up and by new Aussie Kasatkina only)



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Birds of a feather...




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TOP QUALIFIER: Nao Hibino/JPN
TOP EARLY-ROUND (1r-2r): xx
TOP MIDDLE-ROUND (3r-QF): xx
TOP LATE-ROUND (SF-F): xx
TOP QUALIFYING MATCH: Q2 - Nao Nibino/JPN def. #17 Bianca Andreescu/CAN 2-6/7-6(5)/6-4 - Andreescu led 6-2/5-3, holding a MP in game #8 of the 2nd and then serving for the win a game later, and led 5-2 in the 2nd set TB; Hibino also saved 2 MP vs. Ella Seidel/GER in Q3.
TOP EARLY-RD. MATCH (1r-2r): xx
TOP MIDDLE-RD. MATCH (3r-QF): xx
TOP LATE-RD. MATCH (SF-F/Jr.-WC): xx
=============================
FIRST VICTORY: #13 Elina Svitolina/UKR (def. Sonmez/TUR)
FIRST SEED OUT: #28 Peyton Stearns/USA (1r: Lys/GER)
FIRST SLAM MD WINS: Emiliana Arango/COL, Sara Bejlek/CZE, Lois Boisson/FRA, Joanna Garland/TPE, Victoria Mboko/CAN, Leyre Romero Gormaz/ESP, Tereza Valentova/CZE
UPSET QUEENS: Czech Republic
REVELATION LADIES: United States
NATION OF POOR SOULS: Australia (2-5 1st Rd.; only wins AUS/AUS 1r and new-AUS Kasatkina)
LAST QUALIFIER STANDING: In 2r: Bejlek/CZE, Garland/TPE, Hibino/JPN, Mboko/CAN, Romero Gormaz/ESP, Valentova/CZE
LUCKY LOSER WINS: In 2r: Starodubtseva/UKR
LAST WILD CARD STANDING: In 2r: Boisson/FRA, Jacquemot/FRA, Jeanjean/FRA, Jovic/USA
PROTECTED RANKING WINS: none
LAST PASTRY STANDING: In 2r: Boisson, Jacquemot, Jeanjean
Ms./Mademoiselle OPPORTUNITY: x
IT "TBD": x
COMEBACK PLAYER: x
CRASH & BURN: Nominee: #9 Navarro (1r- 1 game vs. Bouzas Maneiro)
ZOMBIE QUEEN OF PARIS: Nominees: Potapova/RUS (1r- trailed #29 Noskova 5-2 in the 3rd); Valentova/CZE (1r- trailed 5-2 in 3rd vs. Paquet, who served up 5-3 30/love; '24 RG Jr. champ wins last 5 games for first slam MD win)
DOUBLES STAR: x
VETERAN PLAYER (KIMIKO CUP): x
Mademoiselle/Madame OF THE EVENING: x
JUNIOR BREAKOUT: x
Légion de Lenglen: 100th anniversary of Suzanne Lenglen's first grand slam French Championship titles (WS/WD/MX sweep) in 1925 (first time event open to non-FRA competitors)
Coupe LA PETIT TAUREAU: x







All for Day 3. More tomorrow.
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