Coco Gauff told she’s currently doing ‘the worst thing’ a tennis player can do

For much of her match with Iva Jovic, Coco Gauff looked like she was set for a difficult loss at the Italian Open.

The star faced match points in the second set, but she managed to fight back and book her place in the quarter-finals of the Rome event in impressive fashion.

This is becoming a trend for Gauff, after she looked all-but-beaten in her match against Solana Sierra, as she fell a break down in the deciding set.

Despite Gauff’s brilliant victory against Jovic, Annabel Croft has shared her concern for the 21-year-old following her match against the teenager.

Talking about Gauff’s current inconsistency while on Sky Sports commentary duties, Croft said: “I think it’s a little bit inexplicable to be honest with you because it’s sort of a pattern which is in her matches. As I said before, I’m not even sure if she knows why this happens.

“Because she tries to address it all, and there are moments where it becomes solid. It’s a mind thing isn’t it? The worst thing in tennis is that you overthink. We hear players in interviews talking about that, they don’t want to be overthinking.

“Suddenly there are patches where she starts to overthink the techniques. Then it starts to go away and she plays with freedom, without thinking. At the moment it’s sort of a concentration things isn’t it?”

Despite Croft’s worries, Gauff continues to add to her remarkable record at the Italian Open.

Her appearance in the Italian Open quarter-final is her third consecutive last eight appearance at the Rome Masters event, as she reached the final in 2025 and the semi-final in 2024.

The American is the youngest player to achieve that feat since Iga Swiatek reached three quarter-finals between 2021-2023.

Gauff has become also the youngest American since Mary Joe Fernandez to reach three consecutive quarter-finals at the Italian Open, which Fernandez achieved between 1991-1993.

The American will play Mirra Andreeva in the last eight of the Italian Open, who she has a sensational record against on the WTA Tour.

Gauff has beaten Andreeva in all four of their matches so far, which include two Grand Slam victories. She has knocked the Russian star out of Roland Garros and the US Open, both of which came in 2023.

The American also managed two victories against Andreeva in the 2025 season, both of which came on clay, and one of which will give Gauff a boost heading into their Rome meeting.

Gauff previously beat Andreeva in the Italian Open quarter-final last year, on her way to her very first final appearance at the Rome tournament.

She will be hoping the result goes the same away once more as she looks to win her very first Italian Open title this year.