FRENCH OPEN: COCO INSPIRED BY ‘MIAMI HEAT VICTORY’ TO FACE JULIA GRABHER IN SECOND ROUND

Coco Gauff made a comeback from first set down against Spain’s Rebeka Masarova and won 3-6, 6-1, 6-2 to set up a tie against Austrian world number 61 Julia Grabher in the second round at the French Open.

Gauff who was the runner-up at the Roland Garros last year losing to Swiatek in her first major singles final struggled in the first set lacking trust shots. She was unable to find her rhythm to take any of eight break points.

But in the second set she brilliantly-calmly found her rhythm in the play, growing in confidence and speed, the purpose of aggression of her shots to force Masariva into more errors. Obviously drawing inspiration from Miami Heat beating the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference Finals to reach the NBA finals.

Gauff, having struggled to make a comeback from her last 15 matches, sustained the confidence to advance to the next round. To Gauff, Thanks to the Miami Heats.

‘’I told myself if Jimmy Butler [Heat star] didn’t freak out when up 3-0 and all of a sudden it was 3-3, then I shouldn’t freak out when losing the first set,’’ Gauff said.

Miami Heat beating the Boston Celtics was super inspiration for the 19 year-old. The Heat led 3-0 in the best- of-seven series, were pegged back to 3-3 but won the decider on Monday. And Gauff felt the impact of the game grew her confidence despite not watching the match due to time difference.

‘’You have the choice to dwell on it or reset, and I chose to reset.’’ She said,

Meanwhile, defending Roland Garros Champion Iga Swiatek triumphed 6-4 6-0 over Spain’s Cristina Busca. While Tunisia’s Ons Jabeur is gradually overcoming her injury to beat Lucia Bronzetti 6-4 6-1 and Elena Rybakina who is the Wimbledon defending champion defeated Brenda Fruhvritova 6-4 6-2.