Coco Gauff has reached the final of the Italian Open despite a challenging run marked by visible frustration on court. Former world number one Tracy Austin has offered public support, emphasizing that players are human and not robots.
Gauff advanced to the final after a series of comebacks in Rome. She defeated Tereza Valentova 6-3, 6-4 in the first round and then Solana Sierra 5-7, 6-0, 6-4. During the latter match the 22-year-old struck her head twice with her racket and later described herself as being in a “weird” mental space.