Coco Gauff is currently in Spain for the 2026 Madrid Open. Before starting her run in the tournament, she opened up about the challenges she faces on clay, prompting her mother, Candi, to offer some advice.
Leading up to the WTA 1000 clay court tournament in Madrid, Gauff competed at the 2026 Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in Stuttgart, where she eliminated Liudmila Samsonova (7-5, 6-1) in her opening match before losing to Karolína Muchová (3-6, 7-5, 3-6) in the quarterfinals.
Coco Gauff’s Mother Candi Reacts to Her Listing Out Problems of Playing on Clay
Last year, Gauff finished as the runner-up to Aryna Sabalenka at the Madrid Open. This year, she is seeded third and will begin her campaign in the second round after receiving a first-round bye. She is set to face either Oksana Selekhmeteva or qualifier Léolia Jeanjean in her opening match.
Ahead of her first match at the WTA 1000 tournament, while speaking to the press, Gauff referred to clay courts as a “good” guy that treats her well, although she doesn’t favor the surface. She acknowledged that she has had “great results” on clay but mentioned various aspects she dislikes, such as how it stains her socks and requires her to remove her shoes before entering her room.
“You know, if you have a guy, and they just treat you good, and they do everything right, but it’s still just not there. That’s how I feel about clay. I have great results on clay, I do well on clay, but my socks get dirty. I have to take off my shoes before I get into my room. It’s just a lot of things that I also don’t like about it,” Gauff said.
Despite her achievements on clay, Gauff expressed that she does not enjoy competing on the surface.
“But my career on clay has always been the first of everything. Junior title there, my first Grand Slam final, my first doubles Grand Slam. So it’s just one of those guys, it’s just you know, maybe nice guys finish last,” she added.
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The former World No. 2 also humorously stated that clay gives her the “ick,” even though it has treated her well.
“clay gives me the ick but it treats me so well 🤣,” Gauff captioned her Instagram story.
Reacting to her comments about struggling on clay, Gauff’s mother, Candi, advised her to embrace getting a “little dirty” to compete effectively on this surface.
“Sometimes you gotta get a little dirty,” Candi commented.
Looking ahead to Gauff’s first singles match at the 2026 Madrid Open, it is worth noting that she and Selekhmeteva have never faced each other on the WTA Tour; therefore, their potential second-round match at the tournament will mark the first time they meet. Meanwhile, Gauff has faced Jeanjean once before on the WTA Tour, in the first round of the 2022 US Open, where the two-time singles Grand Slam champion secured a 6-2, 6-3 win.
The winner of the second round match between Gauff and either Selekhmeteva or Jeanjean will advance to compete against the 25th seed, Sorana Cîrstea, Elsa Jacquemot, or qualifier Tyra Caterina Grant in the third round.
In addition to her singles campaign at the 2026 Madrid Open, Gauff will also be competing in the doubles event alongside compatriot Robin Montgomery. They have received a Wild Card entry into the main draw and will face Giuliana Olmos and Irina Khromacheva in the first round.
