Reigning Champion Gauff Leads U.S. Women Sweeping into Roland Garros Third Round
By Richard Pagliaro | Thursday, May 28, 2026
Photo credit: Antoine Couvercelle/ROLEX
A composed Coco Gauff stopped screaming sound with focused flurry today.
Reigning Roland Garros champion Gauff sped through eight of the last 10 games, muting Mayar Sherif 6-3, 6-2 to reach the third round for the sixth straight year.
Applying her adaptability and versatility, Gauff defused Sherif, who owns a hellaciously heavy topspin forehand, extreme western group and a booming grunt she sometimes emits after contact.
It is Gauff’s ninth consecutive French Open win propelling her into a third-round clash vs. either 28th-seeded Austrian Anastasia Potapova or Briton Katie Boulter for a fourth-round spot.
The fourth-seeded Gauff struck with depth and covered the court with dynamic movement. Gauff converted seven of 13 break points and pumped 23 winners—18 more than her opponent.
It is Gauff’s 80th career major main draw victory. She is the first woman since Maria Sharapova at the 2008 Australian Open to post 80 major match wins before turning 23. Twenty-nine of Gauff’s 80 Grand Slam wins have come in Paris where she owns a 29-5 career mark.
American women delivered red, white and terre battue success today.
Four American women—Gauff, US Open finalist Amanda Anisimova, 2025 Australian Open champion Madison Keys and 17th-seeded Iva Jovic—each scored straight sets wins to join former Texas all American Peyton Stearns in the third round. No. 30th-seeded American Ann Li, who beat four-time French Open champion Iga Swiatek in Madrid, fell to Frenchwoman Diane Parry, 6-3, 6-4, on Court Philippe Chatrier after world No. 1 Jannik Sinner collapsed and crashed out of the second round.
The sixth-seeded Anismova led Julia Grabher 6-0 when the 121st-ranked Austrian retired due to apparent heat-related illness. Former Roland Garros semifinalist Anisimova will take on Parry for a place in the round of 16.
“I feel like my tennis is where I want it to be and hopefully I can keep it going,” Anisimova said. “I’m happy to be here, to be healthy and excited for some challenging matches.”
In a blockbuster all-American second-rounder, Jovic charged through nine straight games defeating Emma Navarro 6-0, 6-3.
The 18-year-old Jovic avenged her three-set loss to Navarro in Strasbourg last week. Contesting just her seventh WTA main draw in a clay-court event, Jovic will face four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka for a fourth round spot.
“Never played her before. Obviously seen her play a ton, but no, never even practiced with her, so it will be a little bit unknown for both of us,” Jovic said. “Obviously one of the cleanest ball strikers on tour. She has great offense, so hopefully I cannot let her, you know, strike and do what she can do very well.
“Hopefully I can make her a bit uncomfortable. It’s going to be a battle. Yeah, let’s see. Hopefully I can just keep the level up.”
The reigning champion charged out to a 3-0 lead today.
The Egyptian qualifier broke back on a Gauff error to get back on serve at 2-3.
During a draining 14-minute sixth game, Gauff trampolined off the terre battue for a pair of Marcelo Rios-style leaping backhands earning a break point.
At that point, a fan apparently fell ill in the stands near the court prompting suspension of play. After about a 10-minute delay play resumed and Sherif saved break point with a forehand volley.
Facing a fifth break point, Sherif sent a scrambling Gauff sprinting corner to corner where the reigning champion cracked a crosscourt backhand pass breaking with defensive dazzle for 4-2.
The pair exchanged breaks as Gauff extended her lead to 5-3.
Serving for the set, Gauff followed a sharp slice serve to net for the surprise serve-and-volley play gaining triple set point.
Torching an ace down the T, Gauff closed the set in 64 minutes with a bang.
Despite winning just one of eight second serve points, Gauff thumped her groundstrokes with vigor hitting 13 winners—two more than Sherif, who won 11 of 12 trips to net.
Four straight service breaks started the second set as Sherif spun a superb sharp-angled backhand pass to break the champ and forge a 2-all tie.
That was really the qualifier’s last stand as Gauff elevated her level to a place that eluded the Egyptian.
Streaking forward, Gauff drilled a forehand drive forehand volley winner for the first hold of the set and a 4-2 lead.
Wilting in the face of searing heat and Gauff’s unrelenting court coverage, Sherif sprayed shots beyond the sidelines as Gauff broke again for 5-2.
On match point, Gauff closed a powerful plot, striking her signature shot, the two-handed backhand down the line to seal a one hour, 50-minute victory.
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