Coco Gauff warmly congratulated Carlos Alcaraz after his remarkable comeback secured a second consecutive French Open men’s singles title. Reflecting on their friendship, Gauff recalled a joyful moment they shared exploring Beijing’s historic Forbidden City during last year’s China Open.
During the 2024 China Open, Gauff and Alcaraz enjoyed sightseeing at the Forbidden City, an ancient imperial palace in Beijing. Both wore traditional clothing for photos, celebrating their shared experience. They went on to win their respective singles titles at the tournament, with Gauff defeating Karolina Muchova in the women’s final and Alcaraz overcoming Jannik Sinner in the men’s final.
On Sunday, June 8, following Alcaraz’s comeback victory against Sinner at Roland Garros, Gauff posted on her Instagram Stories a photo of Alcaraz holding La Coupe des Mousquetaires, the trophy awarded to the men’s singles champion. She captioned the image to honor his achievement.
She also shared a congratulatory message on X (formerly Twitter), expressing her admiration for Alcaraz’s resilience and success at the French Open.
Gauff Attributes Their Success at China Open to Luck from the Forbidden City Experience
In her winner’s speech after defeating Karolina Muchova in the 2024 China Open women’s final, Coco Gauff fondly recalled her shared visit with Carlos Alcaraz to Beijing’s Forbidden City. She remarked on the possible good fortune the trip brought them, saying:
“Carlos and I both went to the Forbidden City earlier this week. Someone in press asked me if it was gonna bring luck. I was like I don’t know I don’t want to jinx it. Then Carlos won. At that time it was only Round of 16 for me. But I guess the Imperial Palace brought us luck.”
Gauff’s triumph in Paris made her the first American woman to win the French Open singles title since Serena Williams in 2015, highlighting a significant milestone in her career. Meanwhile, Alcaraz’s successful defense of his Roland Garros title confirms his status as a dominant force on clay courts in men’s tennis.
Their shared victories emphasize both players’ rising stature in the tennis world, with the memories from Beijing serving as a fond reminder of their journey and camaraderie. Their performances at these major events indicate promising future showdowns as they continue to build on their successes.