Coco Gauff Powers Her Way to Second French Open Final
In a highly anticipated match, American tennis star Coco Gauff has secured a spot in her second French Open final, defeating French player Lois Boisson with a straight-sets victory. The world number two spoke on court after the match, revealing her strategy for overcoming the hostile atmosphere on Court Philippe-Chatrier.
According to the BBC, Gauff began the match with a clear plan in mind, stating, "It’s always the plan to try to start strong, but I knew it was important today." The American player acknowledged Boisson’s impressive form in the tournament, saying, "Lois is obviously an incredible player. In this tournament, she has definitely proven she’s one of the best players in the world, especially on clay."
Gauff also addressed the vocal support Boisson received from the French crowd, acknowledging that they had been rooting for the underdog. "I know you guys wanted her to win, but I wanted to win as well," she said. "But congratulations to her for an incredible tournament. Today just happened to be my day."
The BBC reported that Gauff had to contend with a hostile atmosphere on Court Philippe-Chatrier, with the crowd firmly behind her French opponent. However, the world number two revealed that she had prepared herself mentally for the challenge, saying, "I was mentally prepared before the match. I knew during the match it was going to be 99% for her but I just tried to block it out."
Gauff also shared her unusual tactic for dealing with the crowd’s chants, revealing that she repeated her own name to herself to psych herself up. "Actually, when you guys were chanting her name I was saying my name to myself – just to kind of psych myself up. You have to do that," she explained. The American player also acknowledged the support of her fans, saying, "I know you guys would usually root for me if I wasn’t playing someone French, so I love you guys too."
As reported by the BBC, Gauff’s victory sets up a highly anticipated final match, with the American player seeking to claim her second French Open title. With her impressive form and mental toughness on display, Gauff will undoubtedly be a force to be reckoned with in the final.
The BBC provided live coverage of the match, bringing viewers all the action and reaction from Court Philippe-Chatrier. For more on this story and the latest updates from the French Open, visit the BBC Sport website.
Further details on Coco Gauff’s match and her progress in the French Open can be found through the official BBC Sport coverage.
