(VIDEO) Coco Gauff hits her head with racket as frustrations brew on court enroute to three-set triumph in Rome

Coco Gauff was not at her imperious best in the third round clash against Solana Sierra at the Rome Open. While she would go on to win 5-7, 6-0, 6-4, frustrations kicked in for the 22-year-old, hitting her racket against her head.

The American reached the final last year amid an incredible clay swing. She lost in the climax match at the Madrid and Rome Open before winning her second Grand Slam title at Roland Garros, taking down Aryna Sabalenka in a scintillating final.

However, this year has not begun as well. She is coming off the back of a final in the Miami Open, a much-needed points haul with a huge number set to come off her overall tally with a slip in the rankings likely.

A last-16 exit in Madrid against Linda Noskova came off the back of losing in three sets against Karolina Muchova in the Stuttgart Open. She was, and still is, determined to taste more success on the European clay, but it is not coming easy.

Gauff was the first to break, but Sierra broke back. This fate was repeated later in the first set with the number three seed now the one clawing back the deficit. She was not able to do it late on as Sierra stormed clear and sealed the first set.

Right after losing it, she whacked her racket onto her head twice, signalling the frustration and anger she was feeling on court. If she was going to win this, she would have to do it the hard way once more, again being dragged into a big battle.

This seems like a speciality for Gauff based on recent times and results. The two-time Grand Slam champion bageled her Argentine opponent while dropping just four points on her own serve in a brilliant second set showing.

The warning signs were there on display in the third set. Sierra stormed into a 3-0 lead before Gauff fought back. She won five games on the spin and could have made it six after creating a first match point. The world number 72 would not relent, resisting the pressure to break and get the match back on serve. This was for just one game with Gauff eventually getting over the line with her third match point on her opponents serve.

It was not perfect or pretty, but a win is a win and Gauff makes it into the last-16 at the Rome Open for the fourth succussive year. An all-American fourth round will be in store with either Taylor Townsend or Iva Jovic her next opponent.