Coco Gauff Faces Challenging Draw at Italian Open

Since Gauff is a seeded player, she will have a bye in the first round. In the second round, Gauff will face either Tereza Valentová or Yulia Putintseva. Gauff is 1-0 against Valentová and 3-1 against Putintseva.

Should Gauff advance to the third round , she could face either 27-seed Emma Raducanu or Solana Sierra. Gauff is 2-0 against Raducanu and is 1-0 against Sierra. So far, Gauff should be good through the first three rounds.

Gauff's road to the final gets even tougher in the fourth round . She could face 16-seed Iva Jovic, 24-seed Marie Marie Bouzková, or McCartney Kessler. Gauff has never faced Jovic on the WTA Tour, but is 1-2 against Bouzková and 0-1 against Kessler.

In the quarterfinals , Gauff could face eighth-seed Mirra Andreeva, ninth-seed Jasmine Paolini, 21-seed Elise Mertens, or Beatriz Haddad Maia. Gauff is 4-0 against Andreeva, 4-3 against Paolini, 5-0 against Merterns, and has never faced Haddad Maia.

The semifinals  could pit Gauff against top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka, sixth-seed Amanda Anisimova, 12-seed Belinda Bencic, or 22-seed Anna Kalinskaya. Gauff is 6-7 against Sabalenka, 1-2 against Anisimova, 5-2 against Bencic, and 1-1 against Kalinskaya.

If Gauff makes it through her side of the bracket, the final  could be a matchup against second-seed Elena Rybakina, fourth-seed Iga Swiatek, seventh-seed Elina Svitolina, or tenth-seed Victoria Mboko. Gauff is 1-0 against Rybakina, 5-11 against Swiatek, 2-3 against Svitolina, and 1-1 against Mboko.

The Italian Open has a history that spans almost a century. The tournament is played on the outdoor clay courts at the historic Foro Italico, with the biggest matches taking place at the incomparable Stadio Centrale. It was rebuilt in 2010 to pack in over 10,000 fans.

The Italian Open runs through May 17.