Coco Gauff will celebrate being WTA No. 2 by facing her toughest opponent at the French Open.

Gauff arrived at Roland Garros being number three in the rankings.

With just five years on the professional circuit, Coco Gauff has already become one of the most important figures in tennis. The American tennis player has just climbed another step in her ascending career, facing one of the most challenging tests of her life.

Gauff has been an unstoppable force at the 2024 edition of the French Open. The American won her first four matches in straight sets, dropping only 18 games. Her first real test this year was against eighth-seeded Ons Jabeur.

The quarterfinal match against Jabeur was the only one in which Gauff played all three sets. Moreover, Gauff had to come from behind after losing the first set, ultimately winning 4-6, 6-2, and 6-3.

The victory earned Gauff more than just a ticket to the semifinals. The points she has accrued on the clay courts of Roland Garros guarantee her a rise to number two in the world in the next WTA ranking. Gauff, however, must test her new ranking against the toughest opponent she could have expected.

An early final
The win over Jabeur put Gauff on a collision course with world number one Iga Swiatek in the French Open semifinals. The Polish player has been a steamroller throughout the tournament, securing resounding victories against nearly all of her rivals.

The only match that challenged her was the second round against one of the crowd’s favorites, the Japanese Naomi Osaka. Swiatek and Osaka played one of the most exciting duels of this year, which ended with a victory for the Pole 7-6 (1), 1-6, and 7-5.

Now, Gauff will face Swiatek, who easily dispatched Czech player Marketa Vondrousova 6-0, 6-2 in the quarterfinals. Although the American has lost nine of the 10 matches against Swiatek, including the most recent three, this matchup is expected to be one of the best at Roland Garros this year.