Coco Gauff surged ahead in the WTA 1000 Miami Open, surpassing former World No. 29 Elisabetta Cocciaretto in the round of 64. Next, she will clash with fellow American talent Alycia Parks in the round of 32. After her impressive win, the World No. 4 opened up about her competitive mindset for her upcoming match and the friendship she shares with Parks.
What Coco Gauff Said About Her Bond With Alycia Parks Ahead of Miami Open Clash
Gauff arrives at the Miami Open as the fourth seed, riding a season filled with both wins and losses. She battled her way to the Australian Open quarterfinal, faced a round of 32 defeat in the Qatar Open against Cocciaretto, and surged to the semifinal in the Dubai Tennis Championship. Her momentum was halted at Indian Wells, where a left arm injury forced her to retire in the round of 32.
At Hard Rock Stadium, Gauff avenged her previous loss to Cocciaretto with a notable comeback, taking the win with a final scoreline of 3-6, 6-4, 6-3 in 2 hours and 15 minutes. After losing the first set, Gauff surged back to clinch the next two sets.
After the win, she reflected on her joy, saying, “Last time we played I didn’t win, so I wanted to overcome that feeling. This week made me realize how much I love this sport. Even when it’s tough, I enjoy the ups and downs of the journey.”
Gauff’s next match, the round of 32, is against former World No. 40 Parks, who defeated Sinja Kraus and Maria Sakkari to reach the round. As she reflected on their upcoming match and their upgraded skill set, the Florida native also shared that she and Parks have a close bond, often training side by side on the same court.
READ MORE: Coco Gauff vs Alycia Parks Preview: Head-to-Head, Prediction for Miami Open 2026
Reflecting on her thoughts about Parks, Gauff recalled their clash in the 2024 Australian Open round of 32, which she ultimately won.
Gauff added, “Alycia and I have known each other forever. So it’s always cool to play her. Obviously, I’m expecting a way different match than AO, just considering I feel like, you know, she’s gotten a lot better, and I feel I’ve gotten better, too. So, I think it’ll be a tough match.”
She continued, “And she’s been playing some great tennis, and I’m always rooting for her, and I’m excited that we get to play each other. We hit on the public courts, probably about an hour drive from here, Pompey Park. That’s where we hit. So, be able to play on the big stage in Miami, I guess this is both of our home tournaments, is pretty cool.”
According to our interactive tennis predictor, which features all players and other metrics, Gauff has a 90% chance of winning against Parks.
