It’s clay season, and the current French Open champion, Coco Gauff, had a commanding 6-3, 6-0 victory over France’s Léolia Jeanjean, advancing safely to the round of 32 at the Madrid Open. But the world No. 3’s self-deprecating humor as a response to fellow tennis star and friend Eva Lys on social media afterward caught fans’ attention.
Coco Gauff Shuts Down Eva Lys’ “Art in Motion” Compliment After Madrid Open Win
While being in the top tier in one of the world’s biggest sports, Gauff still interacts in the comments section just like any other 22-year-old. The official WTA Instagram account celebrated her victory with a dynamic action shot of Gauff mid-swing. Lys took to the comments to praise the pic, calling it “art in motion.” Gauff quickly fired back: “girl I look stupid af.” But fans didn’t agree to their most relatable athlete, and Lys capped off the lighthearted banter with a classic umpire call: “quiet please.”
Lys and Gauff are practically besties off the court, recently grabbing dinner in Madrid and filming viral TikToks together in Stuttgart. Gauff has credited these fun outings with Lys as a crucial strategy for avoiding tour burnout and protecting her mental health.
Entering the draw in the second round, Gauff needed a moment to find her footing on Madrid’s high-altitude clay court. She dropped two of her first three service games but found her rhythm, breaking Jeanjean four times in the opening set to take back control. Gauff closed out the match in straight sets, 6-3, 6-0, in just 82 minutes.
In the post-match presser, Gauff said, “She’s not easy to play. She plays a different rhythm than most players, so just trying to get used to that. I had to hit a lot of jump backhands today, which I’m used to doing one or two a match, and having to do one every other ball was new for me.”
MORE: Coco Gauff’s French Open Defense Carries ‘Win or Fail’ Pressure, CoCo Vandeweghe Warns
Despite the unusual challenge, the two-time Grand Slam champion did well on returns. She converted 7 of 16 break-point opportunities and won over 61% of her return points, dismantling Jeanjean’s defenses and proving her adaptability on clay.
Gauff’s next match is against Anastasia Potapova. Potapova entered the draw as a lucky loser alternate after world No. 17 Madison Keys withdrew. With only 35 minutes to prepare for her second-round match, Potapova comfortably defeated Zhang Shuai 6-3, 6-1, setting the stage for the third-round clash against Gauff.
