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Coco Gauff has admitted she did not see Mirra Andreeva throw the ball into the crowd during their third-round clash at the 2023 French Open. The American also said she could not comment on whether her opponent deserved to be disqualified for her actions.
Gauff came from a set down to end Andreeva’s debut run at the Clay Slam. The 19-year-old prevailed in three sets 6-7(5), 6-1, 6-1, to reach the fourth round of the French Open.
Andreeva sealed the 65-minute first set after a closely fought tie-break. However, the 16-year-old showed a moment of petulance during the tie-break as she shoved a ball into the crowd. The Russian teenager received a code violation but was spared disqualification as the ball did not hit a spectator.
In the post-match press conference, Gauff was asked if she thought the match was over then. The 19-year-old revealed she did not witness the incident and only heard the warning. Gauff assumed her opponent had banged her racquet, as Andreeva had already done that a couple of times during the match.
“I didn't see it, to be honest,” said Coco Gauff. “I heard the code violation, obviously. I didn't know if he said racquet abuse or ball abuse. I assumed it was the racquet. So I just thought maybe she banged the racquet or whatever. She did that a couple of times in the match.”
Coco Gauff added that it was up to the umpire to decide if Andreeva should have been disqualified. The American also admitted she would have preferred to play the match out.
“I can't really say if she deserved to be defaulted or not. I mean, obviously, you're not supposed to throw the ball in the stands. I mean, it happens. I mean, I wasn't -- if I saw it, I don't think I would be hoping for a default. I would prefer to play the match out. But it's up to the umpire's discretion,” she said.
Rennae Stubbs expresses admiration for Coco Gauff’s composure after French Open 3R win
Serena Williams’ ex-coach Rennae Stubbs took to Twitter to praise Coco Gauff’s attitude and composure after her hard-fought victory over Mirra Andreeva in the third round of the 2023 French Open.
"The one thing about Coco, her composure wins her so many matches. So much of this match now is about Andreeva and her youth. Her attitude has and is costing her pts, games, and probably her match," wrote Stubbs.
Though Gauff lost the first set, in her post-match interview, she confessed she felt like she had won.
“Honestly at the end of the first set it was weird, I had a feeling that, even though I lost that set, I felt like I won the set,” said the American.
The 19-year-old shrugged off the first set quickly and dropped only two games in the next two sets to seal the match.
The 2022 finalist has made it into the second week of the Clay Slam for the third year running. She will next take on Anna Karolina Schmiedlova, who has reached the last 16 of a Grand Slam for the first time in her career.
