Francis Tiafoe And Coco Gauff Hope To End American Drought At French Open

Tennis: Wimbledon

American tennis fans love to see their compatriots getting ready for the Grand Slams.

The French Open starts on May 28, and Francis Tiafoe and Coco Gauff were spotted practicing together on the red clay.

Tiafoe and Gauff are among the Americans trying to end the long drought at this year’s French Open.

Tiafoe advanced to the second round in 2021 and 2022, his career-best finishes at the tournament.

The red clay has not been a friend to American tennis players in recent years.

Francis Tiafoe And Coco Gauff Hope To End American Drought At French Open

Andre Agassi is the last American man to win the title in 1999, and Serena Williams won her third and final French Open in 2015.

Francis Tiafoe And Coco Gauff Hope To End American Drought At French Open

Can an American bring home the French Open title in 2023?

Anything is possible, but it will take playing at a level unprecedented in their careers for top Americans Taylor Fritz, Jessica Pegula, Tiafoe, or Gauff to accomplish it.

Why Do Americans Struggle At The French Open?

The Europeans grow up around more clay courts so they excel more so than Americans.

Clay is unique to any other surface because the ball tends to move slower on clay courts, and the footing is tricky with sliding being a skill that is heavily utilized.

American players generally struggle on clay, but Gauff could be the exception.

She had her career-best result at the 2022 French Open, losing in the final to Iga Swiatek.

Doubles Could Be Where The American French Open Drought Ends

The American drought at Roland Garros also exists in doubles.

Gauff made it to the finals in women’s doubles in 2022 with partner Jessica Pegula but lost to the French pair Caroline Garcia and Kristina Mladenovic.

The last American doubles teams to win were siblings: the Bryan brothers in men’s doubles in 2013, and the Williams sisters in 2010.

Each of those powerhouse American doubles teams only won two French Opens.

Gauff and Pegula could avenge the very long French Open title drought.

But just like anything with professional tennis, no one knows what the two weeks of play will bring.

There are usually some surprises, and maybe this year it will be American champions who deliver the biggest surprise of all.


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