"Sign of good luck" after traffic accident on way to stadium... 'Defending champion' shines with steel-like mental strength amidst crisis

*This content was translated by AI.

World-class tennis player Coco Gauff (22, USA) remained unfazed after being involved in a traffic accident just before her match. Overcoming the unexpected incident, she easily advanced past the first round of the French Open.

The U.S. media outlet People reported on the 27th (Korean time) that "Goff was involved in a traffic accident while heading to the stadium for the French Open. Goff stated at the time that he was 'unable to drive a car'."

World No. 4 Gauff defeated Taylor Townsend of the United States 2-0 (6-4, 6-0) in the first round of the French Open women's singles held at Roland Garros in Paris, France, on the 26th.

The game itself was a dominant victory for Goff. However, the biggest hurdle came before the game even began. According to reports, Goff revealed in a broadcast interview that he was involved in a traffic accident while en route to the stadium.

Goff explained the situation at the time, saying, "I felt a slight impact, and all the juice in the car spilled. At first, I thought I could keep driving, but after getting out of the car to check, I realized I was in no condition to drive anymore."

Fortunately, Go-pu did not suffer a major injury. He took the field as scheduled and successfully completed the first inning with a victory.

Instead, Gop accepted the traffic accident he experienced just before the game positively. He said, "It seemed like a good sign," adding, "Although many things happened, when such incidents occur, it seems to prevent me from thinking too much about the game. Above all, I was happy that I could arrive at the stadium without any injuries."

This is not the first time Goff's strong mentality has been revealed. Earlier this month at the Italian Open, Goff made headlines by striking his own head twice with his racket during the match. At the time, he confessed, "I am going through a difficult time outside of the game." Nevertheless, despite the hardships, he secured a 2-1 (5-7, 6-0, 6-4) comeback victory in that match.

The same was true at this year's French Open. Despite facing the unexpected variable of a traffic accident before the match, Gauff remained unshaken. After stepping onto the court, she secured a decisive victory against Townsend, demonstrating her strong focus and mental resilience.

Meanwhile, Gauff defeated world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka (28, Belarus) in the French Open final last year to claim the title. It was her second career Grand Slam title, following her 2023 US Open victory. Despite the setback of a traffic accident, Gauff secured a first-round win, prompting her friend and former professional tennis player Chris Eubanks to praise her with the words, "A tremendous start for title defense."

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*This content was translated by AI.