âWell, first of all, did you see how many times I fell today? Iâm always leaving this clay swing with new scars on my body. Thatâs the first thing. My socks, shoes, and everything get dirty. I like it for my game, but itâs the little, small icks that kind of get on my nerves. Clay treats me well, just a few icks I need to get over,â she said during her post-match interview.
Moreover, Madridâs high altitude (approximately 650-670 meters) also poses a big challenge for the players. The city stands at a higher elevation than most other European capitals, which can affect playersâ condition on the court, as some may find it difficult to breathe when exhausted during a match.
Q&A
What did Coco Gauff say about her experience on clay courts?
Coco Gauff mentioned that she often leaves the clay swing with 'new scars' on her body, indicating the physical challenges she faces during matches.
How long was Coco Gauff's wait before her recent victory?
Coco Gauff ended a nearly seven-month wait before her victory at the Madrid Open.
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However, Gauff feels that she has adapted well to Madridâs altitude in recent years and has now become used to it.
âWell, at first, when I played this tournament, I couldnât get past the Round of 16, so I would say it hurt. But last year I made it to the final. I think Iâve learned to play with the altitude, so I think it is helping. It helped a lot with my serve today. So yeah, I think it helps and enhances for sure. But I prefer playing closer to sea level,â she added.
Gauff gave a remarkable performance against Jeanjean in the Spanish capital. After looking shaky in the first set at times, she completely took the game away from her opponent in the second set. Though the world No. 3 has had a habit of serving double-faults throughout her career, she made sure not to repeat the same mistake this time around.
The encounter against Jeanjean proved to be the first match in seven months where Gauff didnât serve a double-fault. She was strong with her serve throughout the match and held it on most occasions.
On the other hand, she didnât let the 30-year-old settle and repeatedly broke her serve. Gauff converted seven of her 16 break points during the match and wrapped things up in 82 minutes. Now, thatâs quite a show, given that she had delivered some momentous performances in Madrid last year as well.
After defeating Dayana Yastremska, Ann Li, Belinda Bencic, Mirra Andreeva, and Iga ĆwiÄ tek, she finally reached the Madrid Open final, where she faced Aryna Sabalenka. Gauff fell short against the thenâworld No. 1, 3â6, 6â7. Sure, the first set was difficult, but the American did everything she could in the second to narrow the gap; it just wasnât enough against the Belarusian.
Then, in 2024, she had a relatively short run in Spain, reaching only the Round of 16, where she lost to Madison Keys (6â7, 6â4, 4â6). A year earlier, she exited in the Round of 32 after losing to Paula Badosa (3â6, 0â6). Her 2022 campaign also ended in the Round of 16, where she lost to Simona Halep.
This year, however, Gauff didnât look in the best condition during the first set and was forced to take a medical timeout at 4â3.
Coco Gauff suffers an injury scare at the Madrid Open
The 22-year-old appeared to have suffered a blister on her thumb during the match and had to call in the physio to inspect. Though it didnât look to be anything serious, the cut could have seriously affected Gauffâs game.
Miami Open Presented by Itau 2026 â March 27 Miami, Florida â March 27: play, react and celebrate during the Womens Singles Final match between Aryna Sabalenka and Coco Gauff of USA on day 12 of the Miami Open at Hard Rock Stadium on March 27, 2026 in Miami, Florida, United States. Copyright: xLatinxSportxImagesx
Miami Open Presented by Itau 2026 â March 27 Miami, Florida â March 27: play, react and celebrate during the Womens Singles Final match between Aryna Sabalenka and Coco Gauff of USA on day 12 of the Miami Open at Hard Rock Stadium on March 27, 2026 in Miami, Florida, United States. Copyright: xLatinxSportxImagesx
But the American shrugged off the minor setback and continued to play in her rhythm. She wouldnât allow Jeanjean to win another game and would go on to win the next eight consecutively.
Gauff has had injury problems this year and had to retire from the Round of 32 match against Alexandra Eala at the Indian Wells Masters. She had injured her left arm during the match but didnât miss any tournaments due to the setback and was back in action at the Miami Open.
With the Madrid Open still going on, and the Rome Masters and French Open on the horizon, Gauff will be hoping not to get injured at such an important part of the tour.
Gauff will be taking on Sorana Cirstea in the Round of 32 at the Madrid Open. She currently leads the H2H record by 2-0 and will be aiming to win her third consecutive match over the Romanian as the two meet in the Spanish capital.