Coco Gauff offered a lighthearted take on one of the most demanding stretches of the tennis calendar, sharing that she is “in a throuple” with hard court and clay court as the tour transitions into its next phase. Coming off a deep run in Miami and preparing for the Stuttgart Open, Gauff framed the switch as a playful dilemma over which surface will “treat [her] better this season.”
Coco Gauff Transitions From Hard Courts to Clay After Miami Open Run
Gauff just finished a very successful run on the hard courts, reaching the final of the 2026 Miami Open only a few days ago. While she has spent the last several months competing exclusively on hard courts, she is now beginning her clay-court training to prepare for upcoming European tournaments.
The 22-year-old recently posted an Instagram story shortly after her Miami campaign, alongside a photo of a clay court as she returned to training. The picture was captioned, “in a throuple with hard court and clay court rn. idk who is going to treat me better this season;).”
Gauff’s joke about who will “treat her better” refers to her contrasting success on both surfaces. Hard courts are historically her most comfortable surface.
She won her first Grand Slam at the US Open (2023) and just reached the Miami final. Despite hard courts being her “home” surface, she is the defending Roland Garros champion, having won the title in 2025.
How Coco Gauff Fared During the 2026 Sunshine Double
The American tennis star recently concluded the 2026 Sunshine Double with a series of high-stakes performances. Her campaign began with a difficult start at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, where she retired in the third round against Alexandra Eala.
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After winning her opening match against Kamilla Rakhimova in straight sets, Gauff struggled through a set and two games against Eala before bowing out due to a nerve disorder in her left arm. While her team initially expressed concern, an MRI later cleared her of structural damage, paving the way for a remarkable comeback in Miami.
In Miami, Gauff reached the final of her hometown tournament for the first time. She thrilled the South Florida crowds by winning several grueling three-set battles, including a quarterfinal victory over Belinda Bencic and a dominant 6-1, 6-1 semifinal performance against Karolína Muchová. Although she reached the championship match, she ultimately fell to world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka in a competitive final, 6-2, 4-6, 6-3.
The clay season officially kicks off this week with events like the Charleston Open, though top players like Gauff often wait until the Stuttgart Open (April 13–19) to make their competitive clay kickoff.
