Gauff reveals how she deals with the pressure of being the current Roland Garros champion

Pedro de Pablos | 7 May 2026 | 21.02

Gauff reveals how she deals with the pressure of being the current Roland Garros champion.

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Coco Gauff has started off on the right foot at ATP Rome 2026, where she defends last year's final. After her resounding victory against Tereza Valentova, the American tennis player has talked about her improvement with the serve since Madrid and how she deals with the pressure as the current Roland Garros champion.

Gauff is defending a lot of points on the clay court swing after her great 2025 season, and following her early defeat at the Mutua Madrid Open, she once again yielded the number 3 ranking spot to Iga Swiatek who was defending a final. In Rome, she also defends a final, and at Roland Garros the title, but she has shifted her perspective so that the pressure is not as high as it was after winning the US Open in 2023. It's a matter of maturity and not burdening her backpack with too many stones to maintain mental stability.

Gauff highlights the meeting among all the American tennis players

Debut against Valentova

I played against her at Roland Garros last year; it was a good match. Today, she definitely raised her level. I think she has a lot of talent. The Czech team truly has a good roster. For sure, they made a great addition with her.

Valentova's improvement from last year

Frankly, I have a very bad memory. Many things I thought she would do, she didn't, which I suppose makes sense because last year wasn't too good for her. She made some changes, but I think that's normal with improvement. She is undoubtedly a better player. I'm sure that next time I play against her, I hope both she and I are better.

Improvement with the serve

I think it was good today. I believe I need to relax a bit. I felt like I had to exert a lot of effort to serve powerfully. My slice serve and second serve were strong. I missed a few because she was pressuring my serve, but I would like to serve like I did in Madrid. I'm trying to carry over that momentum from Madrid to here, but the conditions are very different. Perhaps the altitude is not helping me as much.

Less pressure at Roland Garros as the defending champion than at the US Open

Yes, especially internally. I guess technically, what's at stake is the same. I have realized that defending the title means nothing in a way. It's as though every year is a new opportunity for anyone to win. Obviously, I hope it's me, but I no longer see it as defending the title. I suppose at the US Open, I thought: I have to defend, defend, defend... Now I see it as another tournament. I won it last year, and I will try to do it again this year. I cannot defend the title every year. I'm not Rafa; maybe someday (laughs).

Get-together with the rest of the American tennis players

Last night, we all went to Taverna Trilussa and had dinner there. Most of us ordered desserts at that restaurant and then went for ice cream, which probably isn't the best. We had a great time. The review, definitely chaotic. Frances Tiafoe and Ben Shelton were talking, and I told them, "Be careful because the microphones might pick up what you're saying." Hopefully, they didn't say anything. It was very fun to be all together, close to people I don't usually talk to much, like Learner Tien and Alex Michelsen. That was great too.

Eubanks' transition to the world of communication

If he criticizes me, I don't take it personally. I don't think the commentators are saying anything I don't already know about myself and my game, about what I need to improve. His transition has probably been the smoothest of all players, from player to commentator. I'm biased, but I think he is one of the best, without a doubt. Also, we talk about tennis. I don't think there are boundaries he could cross, except maybe if we talk about personal matters and such. So maybe I shouldn't reveal that live, but he would never do that.

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Gauff desvela cómo lidia con la presión de ser vigente campeona de Roland Garros