World number three Coco Gauff said it would not be easy to shrug off Monday’s Miami Open defeat by Caroline Garcia but the former Roland Garros runner-up is setting her sights on the claycourt season and the year’s second Grand Slam.
Playing in her home tournament in southern Florida, Gauff fell 6-3 1-6 6-2 to Frenchwoman Garcia in the fourth round on a day of upsets at the tournament.
“I’m the type of person every loss weighs on me heavy, especially one like today where I felt like I could have done better and I felt like I had the match in control, especially after the second set,” Gauff told reporters.
“Honestly, if anything, it helps being home so I can just drive and be home and be in my own bed.
“I wish I could have did better this hardcourt season, but I’m excited for clay,” added the 20-year-old U.S. Open champion, who lost to Iga Swiatek in the 2022 French Open final.
“I’m playing Stuttgart as of now and then obviously Madrid, Rome and the French Open.”
Garcia, who beat four-times major champion Naomi Osaka in the previous round, was delighted to reach her first quarter-final of the season.
“The last couple of months haven’t been easy, and definitely today following the match yesterday, it means a lot,” added the 30-year-old, who plays Danielle Collins next.
“It was some great tennis.”
Meanwhile, world number one Iga Swiatek was knocked out of the Miami Open after inspired Russian Ekaterina Alexandrova triumphed 6-4, 6-2 in their fourth round match.
The 16th seed Alexandrova played brilliant attacking tennis from the outset to beat the Pole and leave the WTA tournament without any of the top three seeds in the quarter-finals with Aryna Sabalenka and Gauff also out.
Fourth seed Elena Rybakina defeated American Madison Keys 6-3, 7-5 to set up a quarterfinal with Greece’s Maria Sakkari.
Sakkari advanced with a walkover after Anna Kalinskaya had to withdraw ahead of their match on Monday due to a right thigh injury.
Victoria Azarenka also progressed with a 7-5, 6-1 win over Britain’s Katie Boulter.