Coco forgetting her racquets was Aussie's 'only chance'
Coco Gauff caused guffaws all round on Court Philippe Chatrier when she arrived on the biggest stage at Roland Garros having forgotten her racquets.
Alas, for Aussie Olivia Gadecki, the second best player in the world then got somebody to go and find them...
"It seems like that was the only way I was gonna win the match now that I think about it!" smiled Gadecki a couple of hours later after being schooled 6-2 6-2 by Coco's brilliance.
The 23-year-old Gold Coast hopeful was a good sport about the comical start to her big day on Chatrier, enjoying a laugh with former finalist Gauff about the "funny little incident".
The 2023 US Open champion had been left with a sheepish grin when she realised her error, opening her bag and finding nothing inside.
"They were supposed to be in my bag," she told the chair umpire before a ball boy was dispatched to find the weapons.
"When I opened the first zipper. I was like, 'OK, no racquets.' The second zipper, I was like, 'Oh my God!'
Naturally, she blamed her coach, Jean-Christophe Faurel. "Honestly, as long as I've been on tour, my coach has always put the racquets in the bag before the match because he's very superstitious," she laughed. "I'm blaming it on him! It's okay."
Reunited with her friends, she then conquered the windy conditions and proved far too strong for the Australian No.5, who's 89 places behind her in the world rankings.
Still, Gadecki, who played on the Rod Laver Arena during the Australian Open, enjoyed the whole experience.
"It was great to play Coco on such a big court. A real eye opener to all the things I need to improve, but overall I really enjoyed it," she said.
"I definitely went in with serious expectation that I could win. I went in there thinking I could do some damage. But she's two in the world for a reason, and I just didn't have my A game today, and it showed.
"But I'd say the main feeling is just an immense amount of pride, like I'm very proud of myself for sticking by myself and keeping my head down and just trying to stay in there."
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