Gauff rallies past Samsonova in Cincinnati opener
Coco Gauff advanced to the round of 32 at the Cincinnati Open on Sunday with a comeback win over Liudmila Samsonova, 2-6, 6-4, 6-1, at the Lindner Family Tennis Center. The world No. 4 trailed after the first set before taking control to seal the victory. The result kept her pursuit of a first title of 2026 alive after she fell short at Wimbledon, the Miami Open, the Italian Open, the Dubai Tennis Championships, and the National Bank Open.
Birthday shoutout frames the postmatch moment
Gauff used her on-court interview to mark a personal milestone, noting that the match coincided with her father's 55th birthday. She said she did not want to lose on his birthday, credited him as the reason she plays the sport, and joked that he would say she could beat anyone, even Carlos Alcaraz. The two-time Grand Slam champion also addressed the wider pressures young players face, telling tennis dads to be good to their girls and to keep fun at the centre of their daughters' development.
Mentality and next opponent
Gauff acknowledged that her level can rise further, framing recent dips as part of the rhythm of a long season. She said focusing on joy in the sport is what brings results and that losses make the wins feel more meaningful. Her next assignment is a round-of-32 meeting with Ann Li on Monday.
Off-court projects
Separately, the Tennis Channel announced two short documentary films executive produced by Gauff that are set for release before the US Open, and her production company iROC Media Group has partnered with the network on the project, which also involves Religion of Sports.
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