Coco Gauff recently revealed some shocking details about the car accident she got into at the French Open. The American explained that while the passengers felt a ‘little impact’, she was considering the whole incident to be a good omen.
Gauff enters the 2026 French Open as the fourth seed and defending champion. On Tuesday, May 26, the 22-year-old took on compatriot Taylor Townsend for her opening round match, clinching a flawless 6-4, 6-0 win in an hour and twenty minutes. While Gauff’s performance on court couldn’t have gone better, the two-time Grand Slam champion revealed that her journey to the venue on the day had been rather bumpy, telling TNT Sports,
Thanks for the submission!
“We kind of got into, like, a mini car accident on my way to the site today. There was this pole, and it was supposed to go down, and then the police told [the driver] to go, and the pole was still there, so we ran into it.”
Coco Gauff went on to explain that the passengers in the car felt some impact after the crash, but highlighted that she was choosing to consider the whole incident as a good omen, saying,
“It was kind of, you know, you felt a little impact. I spilled my juice all over the car. I was like, ‘We can keep going,’ then I walk out the car, and the car was not drivable. So we ended up taking a taxi. But I feel like it’s a good omen maybe. Everything happening in my first round.”
Despite the car accident, Gauff was calm and collected in her performance against Townsend on Tuesday, breaking her opponent’s serve six times and converting 50% of her break point opportunities. With this win, the World No.4 has advanced into the fourth round of Roland Garros for the seventh consecutive time.
Coco Gauff reflects on her opening round win over Taylor Townsend
The 2026 French Open has witnessed some soaring high temperatures and the heat has caused a fair amount of troubles for players scheduled to compete during the hottest hours of the day. After her triumph over Taylor Townsend, Coco Gauff downplayed the effect of the temperatures on her, telling media,
“When I saw it was going to be hot, I definitely think it’s something I do well in and can thrive in a bit because of growing up in Florida. I know some people try to practice early, but I try to sometimes practice in the prime of the day, even if it’s shorter, just to get used to, because you never know.”
Up next, Coco Gauff will take on Mayar Sherif for her second round encounter at the French Open. The duo first competed against each other at the Cincinnati Masters in 2023, where Gauff clinched a dominant 6-2, 6-2 win.
Edited by Riddhi Acharya