The scorching heat of Paris? Coco Gauff is keeping it fast for the fans at Roland Garros

Defending champion Coco Gauff overcame a shaky start to beat American Taylor Townsend 6-4, 6-0 to open her French Open title defense in dominant fashion on Tuesday. Playing in scorching conditions on Court Philippe-Chatrier, Gauff not only battled the heat herself, but also made sure the fans watching the courts were taken care of.

French Open: Update

He became the champion of 2024 briefly under pressure at the start of the opening set before he quickly recovered to book a second-round meeting with Egyptian qualifier Mayar Sherif.

“Honestly, I’m from Florida, so it’s not a big deal. Shout out to Delray Beach,” Gauff joked after the game, reacting to the intense Paris heat.

The American later revealed that she had been instructed by her physiotherapist to use ice during the match, something she admitted she would normally avoid.

“The real reason I used the ice was because my physical therapist said to me before going on the court, ‘Please use the ice today,’ because she knows I probably wouldn’t,” Gauff said. “Honestly, I felt more sorry for the fans. You’re sitting out there watching us play in that heat. I was hoping no one passed out, so I’m glad I was able to keep it short and keep everyone healthy.”

Rising temperatures have become one of the biggest themes of the opening days at Roland Garros, with several players struggling physically during afternoon clay court matches. But Gauff seemed to accept the conditions, later adding that the heat actually helped her serve by making the ball bounce higher.

GAUFF DOMINATION

Despite eventually taking the match, Gauff initially struggled to settle into a rhythm and came close to falling behind by two breaks in the opening set. Townsend’s aggressive start troubled the fourth seed early on, but Gauff settled down at the right moment.

Coco Gauff spoke about the heat in Paris after beating Townsend at Roland Garros

“Honestly, I’m from Florida, so like… this is nothing. Shout out to Delray Beach.”

pic.twitter.com/YdHp9VHAKB— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) May 26, 2026

At 5-3, she even double-faulted on set point, briefly delaying the inevitable, before breaking Townsend in the very next game to seal the opening match. From there, the momentum shifted completely. The second set turned into a one-sided affair as Gauff tightened the baseline and stormed to a commanding 6-0 run.

“I have so many great memories of this court,” Gauff said after the win, recalling her successful run in Paris last year. “I was a little nervous going out today and that showed a little bit, but I was able to find my composure.

After clearing the initial hurdle, the defending champion looks solid in her campaign and is aiming for another deep run in Paris.

– The end

Published on:

26 May 2026 22:21 IST