Coco Gauff celebrates winning her second-round match against Egypt’s Mayar Sherif. | Photo Credit: REUTERS

Defending champion Coco Gauff eased past Egyptian qualifier Mayar Sherif 6-3 , 6-2 on Thursday to punch her ticket for ‌the French Open third round.

The American, ​who landed her 80th career main ⁠draw victory at a Grand Slam, never hit top form, with her opponent offering some dogged ‌resistance in the first set and keeping her off balance.

“It was a physical ‌tough match. I was really tested ‌today. ⁠It took a lot of strength ⁠today,” Gauff said.

“I will be focusing on getting more my rhythm back because I did not have it ​today.”

Sherif tried to ‌rattle her opponent with moon balls early on but Gauff quickly raced to a 3-0 lead.

Her bright start looked to be ‌fizzling out when Sherif, attempting to become ​the first woman from her country to reach the third round of ⁠a Grand Slam in the Open era, regained the break.

Sherif had several chances to ‌draw level in a sixth game that lasted more than 13 minutes but Gauff recovered her composure just in time to protect her lead and bag the set with an ace after an hour and three ‌minutes.

The pair traded early breaks in the second ​set, with Sherif punching the air when she earned hers to draw 2-2.

But ⁠she could not keep up the hunt and ⁠Gauff pulled ahead with another break, sealing the win on her first ‌opportunity after an hour and 50 minutes.

She will next face either Britain’s Katie Boulter ​or Austria’s Anastasia Potapova.

Published on May 29, 2026