“It just makes me laugh in stressful moments”: Coco Gauff reacts to bizarre car incident before French Open campaign

Coco Gauff has described her reaction to unexpected pre-match disruption in Paris, saying she tends to respond with humour rather than stress. The American was involved in a car crash a few days ago — just before the start of her campaign in the tournament.

The world No. 4 is defending her Roland-Garros title, won in 2025 against Aryna Sabalenka in three sets, and arrives with one of the strongest clay-court records on tour. The 22-year-old has built a 29–5 career record at the French Open and has reached at least the quarter-finals in the last five editions.

That consistency places her among the most reliable performers on clay in recent years, adding three WTA 1000 finals on clay courts — the latest a few weeks ago at the Rome Open.

Gauff opened her 2026 Roland-Garros campaign with straight-set wins over Taylor Townsend and Mayar Sherif, extending a pattern of early-round control in Paris. Despite the results, she acknowledged that matches can contain physical swings that are not always reflected in the scoreline.

Gauff was asked directly about a pre-match car incident in Paris and said her reaction was immediate laughter, framing it as a personal response mechanism in unexpected situations. She stressed that the incident caused no injury and had no sporting impact on her preparation for Roland-Garros.

Her explanation focused less on the event itself and more on how she processes disruption before competition, suggesting that humour is a consistent behavioural pattern under stress. “I started laughing immediately, actually, and I felt bad because obviously the driver was kind of stressed, but it wasn’t his fault. But I just started laughing because no one got hurt. I knew it wasn’t a big deal.”

She also described the incident as situationally ironic given the timing in her tournament build-up, adding that her reaction was instinctive rather than calculated. “It was just kind of funny because it was like, of course this is what happens to me before my first round.”

Gauff added that she recognises this reaction pattern in herself, particularly under competitive pressure or uncertainty. “One of my shock responses is to laugh. I think some people have picked up on it, so yeah, that was literally the immediate one,” the world No. 4 said.

“And then I was upset because I’ve been getting Joe & The Juice every day, so I was a bit upset because my juice spilled. So I didn’t have my complete breakfast like I wanted to, but now I’m just happy that it wasn’t a big deal and it’s something I can laugh about.”

Beyond the incident, Gauff addressed her broader approach to pressure situations, rejecting the idea that external disruptions affect her competitive mindset. She suggested that minor chaos can sometimes reduce tension rather than increase it during a Grand Slam campaign.

“No, I wasn’t stressed,” Gauff said during the press conference. “I think it definitely does take the edge off, because it just gives you something to laugh about before the day before, or the day of.”

She also described how everyday factors influence her mood more than competitive pressure itself, offering a candid insight into her behavioural triggers during tournaments. “I’m someone who doesn’t really stress about completely little stuff. As long as I’m not hungry, then I can get annoyed easily.”

On court, Gauff continues to reinforce her position as one of the leading clay-court players on the WTA Tour. Her first Grand Slam final came in Paris in 2022 — at just 18 years old — and since then she has built a Roland-Garros record of 29–5.

Her 2025 title run, culminating in a victory over Aryna Sabalenka in the final, marked her second Grand Slam triumph, again coming from a set down against Sabalenka — similar to the 2023 US Open, her first major title.

Following straight-sets wins over Townsend and Sherif, Gauff now turns her attention to her next opponent Anastasia Potapova, one of the most consistent players of the clay swing this year. The head-to-head stands at 2–2 (1–0 in favour of Potapova on clay courts), although their most recent meeting came more than three years ago.