Coco Gauff Advances to French Open Quarter-Finals with Gritty Win

World number two Coco Gauff reached her second French Open quarter-final on June 1, 2025, defeating Czech player Marie Bouzková 6-1, 7-6(3) in a 90-minute clash on Court Philippe-Chatrier.

The 21-year-old American, the 2022 finalist, dominated the first set, winning 90% of her first-serve points and breaking Bouzková twice. The second set proved tougher, with Bouzková, ranked 42, forcing a tiebreak after saving three match points. Gauff’s 22 winners and relentless defense secured the tiebreak, advancing her to face Ekaterina Alexandrova in the last eight.

Gauff, who won the 2023 US Open, vowed to “keep fighting,” citing her improved focus after a straight-sets win over Tereza Valentova in the second round. Her performance, bolstered by 12 aces and a 75% first-serve win rate, reflects her clay-court maturity, with a 10-2 record in 2025. Bouzková, despite 18 winners, was undone by 15 unforced errors under Gauff’s pressure.

The match, attended by 14,000 fans, underscores Gauff’s status as a title contender, with bookmakers ranking her behind only Aryna Sabalenka and Iga Swiatek. Fans on social media celebrated her tenacity, though some criticized her second-set lapses. Gauff’s run, alongside Keys and Pegula, fuels optimism for an American women’s champion, a feat not achieved since Serena Williams in 2015.