The American star is seeking to defend her title at the tournament, but spent 8 hours getting ready before her opening match on Court Philippe-Chatrier on Tuesday (May 26).

The former US Open champion has attracted interest from fans not only for her on-court tennis skills but also for her dazzling appearances at prestigious ceremonies and major tennis events, as well as her posts on social media. Last week, she got an avalanche of reactions after showcasing her new hairstyle ahead of the French Open.

The 22-year-old showed off her long, big black hair with the caption 'Eight Hours' under the photo. She wore long, wavy black hair with small braids, which elicited positive reactions from fans. Her hair was perfectly styled, hanging over her shoulders, and emphasized her facial features.

The eight-hour caption alludes to the time it took her to get the hairstyle done, just three days before the start of Roland Garros. On Tuesday (May 26), she walked out onto the court with her hair tied properly at the back. She wasted no time in dominating the match against Townsend, who looked clueless on how to counter Gauff's domineering style of play at the Roland Garros.

Despite the duo being friends, it was set aside during their battle on the court as Gauff got her first break against Townsend in the eighth game. In the second set, the defending champion didn't drop a game, winning the match 6-4, 6-0. After the match, a reporter asked her why she tries to make sure her hair is done properly before events. Gauff admitted that she takes pride in showcasing her black beauty on the court:

I've said this before, I pride myself in showcasing different black hair on tour. Just so almost every girl can feel represented. The Williams sisters did that for me, so I try to do that for someone else.

Gauff has already admitted that she's not under any pressure to defend the French Open title. The American star defeated Aryna Sabalenka in three sets twelve months ago, to become the first American woman to win the championship since Serena Williams in 2015. She has now won eight consecutive matches at Roland Garros.

Coco Gauff will face Egyptian Mayar Sherif in the second round of the French Open. It will be their second meeting on tour and first since the 2023 Cincinnati Open. The American star is expected to make short work of the opponent at Roland Garros and continue her title defense challenge in style.

However, during the aforementioned press conference, Gauff revealed that she had a minor car accident on her way to Court Philippe-Chatrier. The American star pointed out that after the incident took place, she refused to look at it from a bad perspective, considering it a good omen before facing Taylor Townsend:

We kind of got into a mini car accident on my way to the site today. There was this pole that was supposed to go down, and then the police told [the driver] to go, and the pole was still there, so we ran into it. It was kind of, you know, you felt a little impact. I spilled my juice all over the car. I was like, 'We can keep going,' and then I walked out of the car, and the car is not drivable. So we ended up taking a taxi. But I feel like it's a good omen, maybe.

Gauff is projected to face Anastasia Potapova in the third round of the French Open. Potapova reached the semi-finals of the Madrid Open as a lucky loser and has been in good form since then. Should she reach the fourth round, she could face either Iva Jovic or Naomi Osaka at the tournament.

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