Against Valentova, an 18-year-old who won the junior title at the French Open last year and was competing in the main draw at a major tournament for the first time, Gauff got broken five times. Four of those came in the second set — and each time, the 21-year-old Floridian managed to immediately rebound to claim Valentova’s very next service game.

Second seed Coco Gauff moved into the French Open third round on Thursday by beating unseeded Czech Tereza Valentova 6-2 6-4 although the American did not have things all her own way. Gauff came under threat from the 18-year-old Valentova's powerful serve but found a way past her thanks to her relentless returning and powerful groundstrokes.

Coco Gauff committed a tennis "cardinal sin" during Monday's French Open first round: she forgot her rackets. That's right, the world's No. 2-ranked player as one of the 2025 tournament's favorites, actually forgot her rackets before the first match.