Coco Gauff displayed worrying behaviour during her Italian Open third-round encounter against Solana Sierra this afternoon, striking herself on the head with her racket on two separate occasions.
The American third seed’s frustrations erupted after she was broken whilst level at 5-5 in the opening set, prompting her to hit her own head with her racket.
When the Argentine world number 72 subsequently claimed the set 7-5, Gauff repeated the action, smashing her racket against her head once more as she made her way to the changeover.
The raw display of emotion came during what proved a testing afternoon for the 22-year-old.
Coco Gauff hit herself twice during a turbulent first set against Solana Sierra
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REUTERS
Despite the turbulent start, Gauff managed to turn the contest around emphatically, claiming the second set 6-0 in just thirty minutes whilst conceding only four points on her own serve.
The world number four’s troubles were far from over, however, as Sierra raced into a 3-0 advantage in the decider, breaking the American twice.
Gauff then produced a remarkable fightback, winning five consecutive games to give herself the chance to serve for the match.
The Argentine refused to surrender, saving match point to break back, but Gauff eventually sealed a 5-7 6-0 6-4 triumph after two hours and ten minutes.
British tennis player and commentator Eden Silva observed during the match that despite Gauff’s improved play, she appeared distinctly displeased with herself, even after taking the second set to love and stringing together four successive games in the decider.
Will the media attack Cori “ Coco” Gauff for this like they did Rublev for years 🥴 pic.twitter.com/UtKXiZMy4l
— Nick Ally ✝️ (@nick_ally1986) May 9, 2026
Fellow commentator Mark Valledy suggested the third seed’s perfectionist nature was at the heart of her visible discontent.
“I think you hit the nail on the head, that’s what it is, I think she’s unhappy with her level,” Valledy remarked.
“Such a perfectionist, you imagine, to reach this sort of standard. The manner in which that first set got away from her, she never really got over it.”
Gauff’s 2026 campaign has been underwhelming by her standards, with no titles and a 21-8 record on tour, her best result being a runner-up finish at the Miami Open.
Coco Gauff has had a difficult year by her lofty standards
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REUTERS
The two-time Grand Slam champion faces mounting pressure as she prepares to defend her Roland Garros crown, having accumulated nearly half her ranking points during last year’s clay court swing.
Prior to the Italian Open, Gauff acknowledged lessons learned from her 2024 US Open title defence, where she exited in the fourth round to Emma Navarro.
“I learned from going into the US Open as defending champion, so I’m hoping this time I’m a little bit more chill,” she said.
