Scorching Paris heat? Coco Gauff keeps it quick for fans at Roland Garros
French Open 2026: Coco Gauff beat Taylor Townsend 6-4, 6-0 to begin her French Open title defence in punishing Paris heat. After a nervy start, the defending champion found her calm, handled the conditions and moved into the second round.
Defending champion Coco Gauff overcame a shaky start to beat fellow American Taylor Townsend 6-4, 6-0 and begin her title defence at the French Open in dominant fashion on Tuesday. Playing under scorching conditions on Court Philippe-Chatrier, Gauff not only battled through the heat herself but also made sure fans watching courtside were looked after.
French Open: Updates
The 2024 champion was briefly under pressure early in the opening set before recovering quickly to book a second-round meeting with Egyptian qualifier Mayar Sherif.
“Honestly, I’m from Florida, so this is nothing. Shout out Delray Beach,” Gauff joked after the match while reacting to the intense Paris heat.
The American later revealed that she had been instructed by her physio to use ice during the match, something she admitted she would normally avoid.
“The real reason I was using the ice was because my physio told me before going on court, ‘Please use the ice today,’ because she knows I probably wouldn’t,” Gauff said. “Honestly, I felt more bad for the fans. You guys are sitting out there watching us play in this heat. I was hoping no one passed out, so I’m glad I was able to keep it short and keep everyone healthy.”
The soaring temperatures became one of the biggest talking points on the opening days at Roland Garros, with several players struggling physically during afternoon matches on the clay courts. Gauff, however, appeared to embrace the conditions, later adding that the heat actually helped her serve by making the ball bounce higher.
DOMINTATION BY GAUFF
Despite eventually cruising through the contest, Gauff initially struggled to settle into rhythm and was close to falling two breaks behind in the opening set. Townsend’s aggressive start troubled the fourth seed early on, but Gauff regained composure at the right moment.
She even double-faulted on set point at 5-3, briefly delaying the inevitable, before breaking Townsend in the very next game to close out the opener. From there, the momentum completely shifted. The second set turned into a one-sided affair as Gauff tightened her baseline game and raced through 6-0 in commanding fashion.
“I have so many great memories on this court,” Gauff said after the victory, reflecting on her successful run in Paris last year. “I was a little nervous going out today, and that showed a bit, but I was able to find my calm.”
With the opening hurdle cleared, the defending champion now looks firmly settled into her campaign as she aims for another deep run in Paris.
Defending champion Coco Gauff overcame a shaky start to beat fellow American Taylor Townsend 6-4, 6-0 and begin her title defence at the French Open in dominant fashion on Tuesday. Playing under scorching conditions on Court Philippe-Chatrier, Gauff not only battled through the heat herself but also made sure fans watching courtside were looked after.
French Open: Updates
The 2024 champion was briefly under pressure early in the opening set before recovering quickly to book a second-round meeting with Egyptian qualifier Mayar Sherif.
“Honestly, I’m from Florida, so this is nothing. Shout out Delray Beach,” Gauff joked after the match while reacting to the intense Paris heat.
The American later revealed that she had been instructed by her physio to use ice during the match, something she admitted she would normally avoid.
“The real reason I was using the ice was because my physio told me before going on court, ‘Please use the ice today,’ because she knows I probably wouldn’t,” Gauff said. “Honestly, I felt more bad for the fans. You guys are sitting out there watching us play in this heat. I was hoping no one passed out, so I’m glad I was able to keep it short and keep everyone healthy.”
The soaring temperatures became one of the biggest talking points on the opening days at Roland Garros, with several players struggling physically during afternoon matches on the clay courts. Gauff, however, appeared to embrace the conditions, later adding that the heat actually helped her serve by making the ball bounce higher.
DOMINTATION BY GAUFF
Despite eventually cruising through the contest, Gauff initially struggled to settle into rhythm and was close to falling two breaks behind in the opening set. Townsend’s aggressive start troubled the fourth seed early on, but Gauff regained composure at the right moment.
She even double-faulted on set point at 5-3, briefly delaying the inevitable, before breaking Townsend in the very next game to close out the opener. From there, the momentum completely shifted. The second set turned into a one-sided affair as Gauff tightened her baseline game and raced through 6-0 in commanding fashion.
“I have so many great memories on this court,” Gauff said after the victory, reflecting on her successful run in Paris last year. “I was a little nervous going out today, and that showed a bit, but I was able to find my calm.”
With the opening hurdle cleared, the defending champion now looks firmly settled into her campaign as she aims for another deep run in Paris.
