Coco Gauff revealed she got into a small car wreck before the first round of the French Open.
“We kinda got into a mini car accident on my way to the site today,” the tennis player, 22, said in an interview with TNT Sports on Tuesday, May 26.
While recounting the incident, Gauff couldn’t help but laugh about the situation now.
“So there was this pole thing and it’s supposed to go down. The police told him to go and the pole was still there,” she recalled. “So we ran into it.”
Coco Gauff Felt ‘Mentally Overwhelmed’ Before Early Wimbledon Exit
Gauff, who is the reigning French Open champion, shared that she “felt a little impact” from the accident and confirmed that the only casualty was the beverage she was drinking.
“I spilled my juice all over the car,” she said, adding that she felt well enough to continue. “I was like, ‘We can keep going.’ Then I walked out of the car and the car was not drivable.”
Gauff revealed that she “ended up taking a taxi” to another location where she grabbed a tournament shuttle and made it to Stade Roland-Garros in Paris, France in one piece. She faced off against Taylor Townsend and ultimately won her sets.
The car incident was not the only thing Gauff had to endure during the first round of the tournament. She revealed she also suffered a wardrobe malfunction before hitting the court.
“And then right before I went onto court, my dress got stuck, so my physio was in the bathroom trying to help me take it off,” she said. “It was an eventful day. But I feel like whenever that happens, it lets you not think about the match too much. I’m just happy to be here in one piece.”
The athlete added that the incidents before the first round felt like “good omen” and she is hopeful her luck is bound to turn around.
Gauff’s appearance at the French Open comes nearly two weeks after her wins at the Italian Open. She was off to a rough start at the beginning of the year, losing in the Australian Open quarterfinals to Elina Svitolina. Following the defeat, Gauff walked off the court and smashed her racket multiple times.
Coco Gauff Was ‘Really in a Dark Place’ After 2023 Wimbledon Loss
She subsequently called out the cameras for capturing the emotional moment.
“I tried to go somewhere where I thought there wasn’t a camera because I don’t necessarily like breaking rackets,” she told reporters in January after the match. “Maybe some conversations can be had, because I feel like at this tournament the only private place we have is the locker room.”
Gauff shared that she did not regret taking her “frustration out” on the racket.
“I don’t think it’s a bad thing,” she added. “Otherwise, I’m just going to be snappy with the people around me, and I don’t want to do that, because, like I said, they don’t deserve it. They did their best. I did mine. Just need to let the frustration out.”
