On June 2, 2025, American tennis star Coco Gauff secured a powerful 6-0, 7-5 victory over Ekaterina Alexandrova at the French Open in Paris, advancing to her fifth consecutive quarterfinal at Roland Garros. At just 21 years old, Gauff’s remarkable consistency at this Grand Slam highlights her pursuit of a historic all-American showdown, as she continues to build momentum on clay.

Coco Gauff Advances Deep into Roland Garros, Defying Expectations

Second seed Coco Gauff demonstrated exceptional skill and determination to fend off a resilient challenge from 20th seed Ekaterina Alexandrova, completing the match in one hour and 22 minutes. Gauff dominated the opening set with a flawless 6-0 performance before maintaining composure in the tighter second set, converting five out of nine break points to close out the win. This victory marks Gauff as the fourth-youngest player in the Open Era to reach five or more women’s singles quarterfinals at Roland Garros, joining the ranks of Martina Hingis, Steffi Graf, and Conchita Martínez.

Since her debut in 2020, where she exited in the second round, Gauff has steadily progressed each year at the French Open. Her 2022 appearance culminated in a runner-up finish, underscoring her status as a top contender on the Parisian clay court. Now riding strong from back-to-back finals in Madrid and Rome leading up to the tournament, she is setting her sights higher.

Strong American Spirit Fuels French Open Ambitions

In a post-match interview with the Tennis Channel, Gauff reflected on the unique bond shared among the American tennis players competing in Paris. Host Prakash Amritraj asked whether there was support between the WTA and ATP players during the event. Gauff emphasized their camaraderie, saying,

“We’re all like seeing each other through the in the player’s area and rooting for each other, making comments to each other, mostly good stuff,”

—Coco Gauff, professional tennis player.

Alongside her own success, Gauff expressed pride in the American men still competing in the tournament and shared a hopeful vision for a dual U.S. victory at Roland Garros. Reflecting on this, she stated,

“It’s great to see them doing so well and I think we’re in good hands and hopefully you know one day we can get one of those guys lifting the big one and you know it’ll be really cool to at the same time for one of us to win on the women’s singles, I think that women’s and men that would be pretty cool,”

—Coco Gauff.

While Gauff is poised to advance further, the men’s side has faced mixed outcomes. Taylor Fritz was upset in the first round, but Tommy Paul and Frances Tiafoe have advanced impressively. Paul faces a challenging quarterfinal match against reigning champion Carlos Alcaraz, while Tiafoe prepares to meet Lorenzo Musetti. The potential for an all-American semifinal on the men’s side would mark a significant resurgence, complementing Gauff’s pursuit on the women’s side.

Matching Venus Williams’ Endurance Record at the French Open

Gauff’s recent achievement ties her to a notable French Open milestone last held by Venus Williams. At 21 years and 73 days old, Coco has reached five or more quarterfinals at Roland Garros, a feat Venus accomplished 24 years ago in 2001. With nine Grand Slam quarterfinals overall in her career, Gauff’s 2025 season has showcased her rapid rise. She recorded a 13-5 win-loss record on hard courts early in the year and has impressed further with a 15-3 record on clay, bolstered by finals appearances in Madrid and Rome.

Gauff’s dominant start against Alexandrova was clear in the first set’s 6-0 result. When Alexandrova stepped up her game in the second set, Gauff responded with resilience and precise play. She converted the majority of her break point chances while limiting her opponent to just one break point conversion. After the match, Gauff commented,

“Yeah, it was tough I played well the whole match but she stepped up in the second set. Overall I thought played great. I move well on clay, I’m comfortable with sliding and moving on the surface, this is the most physical surface and I do well in that department,”

—Coco Gauff.

On Track for a Landmark American Quarterfinal Clash

Looking ahead, Gauff is set to face fellow American Madison Keys in what promises to be an intense quarterfinal battle on the clay courts of Roland Garros. Both players have demonstrated remarkable form this season, making their upcoming match a thrilling centerpiece of the tournament and a potential highlight of American tennis. An all-American contest at this stage of the French Open would underline the country’s dominance and showcase the depth of its women’s tennis talent.

Gauff’s pursuit of major titles continues alongside ambitions shared by her countrymen on the ATP side of the draw. With Tommy Paul and Frances Tiafoe battling to keep U.S. hopes alive in the men’s quarterfinals, the possibility of an all-American semifinal or even final in Paris is within reach. Such an outcome would represent a significant milestone, reflecting a strong resurgence of American tennis excellence on both genders’ fronts.

As the tournament progresses, tennis fans worldwide will watch closely to see whether Coco Gauff can convert her hopeful momentum into a career-defining Grand Slam title, and whether an unprecedented all-American showdown will unfold on the iconic clay courts of Roland Garros.