Coco Gauff escapes huge scare before French Open with unreal Rome comeback
Italian Open 2026: Defending French Open champion Coco Gauff saved a match point before storming back to beat teenage sensation Iva Jovic in a dramatic clash in Rome. The American rallied from 5-7, 3-5, 30-40 down to keep her Roland Garros preparations on track.
Defending French Open champion Coco Gauff produced a remarkable escape act at the Italian Open in Rome on May 11, saving match points before battling back to beat teenage sensation Iva Jovic 5-7, 7-5, 6-2 and advance to the quarterfinals of the WTA 1000 event.
The world No.4 looked on the verge of a shock defeat before showing immense resilience to keep her Rome campaign alive just weeks before returning to Roland Garros as defending champion.
Gauff found herself in deep trouble after dropping the opening set 5-7 against the fearless 18-year-old Jovic, who continued to attack freely from the baseline.
The youngster carried that momentum into the second set and moved within touching distance of the biggest win of her career when she surged to a 5-3 lead. Jovic then earned match point at 30-40 on Gauff’s serve, leaving the American just one point away from elimination.
GAUFF STORMS BACK
But Gauff responded like a Grand Slam champion. The American saved the match point with aggressive hitting and suddenly raised her intensity at exactly the right moment.
She held serve under immense pressure before immediately breaking back to level the set at 5-5. The momentum completely shifted after that as Gauff’s movement and defensive skills began to wear Jovic down.
Having escaped the brink, Gauff forced a decider and looked like a transformed player in the third set. Her serve became more reliable, while her forehand found greater depth and consistency. Jovic still produced flashes of brilliance, but the teenager could not maintain the same level after letting the opportunity slip away.
‘I STAYED MENTALLY STRONG’
Gauff praised Jovic’s level and admitted the windy, distracting conditions made the match difficult, while also crediting her mental resilience and a timely pep talk from her team for inspiring the comeback.
“I’m really proud of the way I fought back. Iva played some really good tennis and the conditions were not easy today with the wind, airplanes overhead and even phones ringing during points. I’m really happy with how I stayed mentally strong, and the pep talk from my team definitely helped me,” Gauff said.
The comeback underlined why Gauff remains one of the favourites heading into the French Open later this month. The 22-year-old captured her maiden Roland Garros title last year and has once again shown her ability to survive difficult moments on clay. Even when far from her best, Gauff managed to stay mentally composed and trust her fighting instincts.