The reigning French Open champion, 22, hit herself on the head with her racket at the end of her first set against the No. 72 player in the world, Solana Sierra, at the Italian Open on Saturday, May 9.<\/p>\n
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In video from the moment<\/a>, Gauff hits her head hard, twice, in quick succession as she walks toward her chair for the set break.<\/p>\n While she dropped the first set, Gauff eventually went on to win the match in three sets, 5-7, 6-0, 6-4.<\/p>\n Coco Gauff during the 2026 Italian Open Gauff said during her post-game press conference that she’s trying to focus on why she loves to play.<\/p>\n \u201cJust personal things off court that I\u2019m just trying to get through, so\u2026 Yeah, but then you also remember how much fun you have. I think my regret today was not enjoying the battle, for sure.”<\/p>\n Dropping the first set is “not something I want to do or make a habit of,\u201d Gauff told the Tennis Channel<\/a> after the match. \u201cYou go through things off court, then you come on court and everything gets amplified. I didn\u2019t want to throw my racket or anything, so I took it out on myself. But maybe it\u2019s better to hit the ground than myself.\u201d<\/p>\n Advertisement<\/p>\n Follow your favorite athletes on and off the field with PEOPLE’s free sports newsletter<\/a> \u2014 sign up now!<\/p>\n In Australia at the start of the year and the season, Gauff did just that.<\/p>\n The world No. 3 tennis star was caught on camera breaking her racket<\/a> on Tuesday, Jan. 27 after she lost in the quarterfinal round of the Australian Open to Elina Svitolina in straight sets, and rued the fact that the \u201cemotional\u201d outburst was shared on television.<\/p>\n \u201cCertain moments \u2014 the same thing happened to Aryna [Sabalenka] after I played her in the final of the US Open \u2014 I feel like they don\u2019t need to broadcast,\u201d Gauff said after the match<\/a>. \u201cI tried to go somewhere where I thought there wasn\u2019t a camera because I don\u2019t necessarily like breaking rackets.\u201d<\/p>\n For the tennis star, battling opponents is just as hard as fighting the mental aspect of the sport.<\/p>\n Advertisement<\/p>\n After defeating Belinda Bencic to advance to the Miami Open semifinals for the first time on Tuesday, March 24, the two-time Grand Slam champion opened up during her press conference<\/a> about dealing with “imposter syndrome.”<\/p>\n “I have to believe that I belong where I am. I think sometimes I can get imposter syndrome,” Gauff said while speaking with reporters. “Even when they’re saying my accomplishments during the warm up, it doesn’t feel like me.”<\/p>\n Earlier on Monday, May 10, Gauff dispatched fellow American No. 16 seed Iva Jovic \u2014 after losing the first set again \u2014 5-7, 7-5, 6-2.<\/p>\n Gauff is set to face Russia\u2019s Mirra Andreeva on Tuesday, May 12 in the quarterfinals of the tournament.<\/p>\n Read the original article on People<\/a><\/p>\n![\"Coco](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/eacfcb12aff700388079a898e5ce471c.jpeg\"\/)
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Credit: Robert Prange\/Getty<\/p>\n