Gauff: Confessions of Bad Red Clay Romance

Coco Gauff defeated French qualifier Leolia Jeanjean 6-3, 6-0 in Madrid on April 24, 2026, winning nine consecutive games in the process. Despite being the reigning Roland Garros champion and reaching the finals in Madrid, Rome, and Roland Garros during her 2025 clay campaign, Gauff humorously described her relationship with clay as a 'bad romance,' citing dirty socks, frequent falls, and unpredictable court conditions. The two-time Grand Slam champion holds only two clay titles from her 11 career championships but continues to perform strongly on the surface.