Gauff's racket gaffe no hindrance to opening win

PARIS -- Coco Gauff caused a little and amusing hold astatine the French Open connected Tuesday erstwhile she stepped onto Court Philippe-Chatrier without her rackets.

Gauff looked confused earlier a shot lad ran retired minutes aboriginal carrying her battalion of mint-colored rackets.

"That's better," said the tribunal announcer, drafting laughter, applause and smiles from the assemblage successful the tournament's main stadium.

Despite the mix-up, No. 2-seeded Gauff went connected to decision Australia's Olivia Gadecki 6-2, 6-2 successful her opening match.

The American jokingly blamed her manager for the missing rackets.

"Honestly, arsenic agelong arsenic I've been connected tour, my manager has ever enactment the rackets successful the container earlier the lucifer due to the fact that he's precise superstitious," she said. "I'm blaming it connected my coach. It's OK."

Gauff was a 2022 finalist astatine Roland-Garros and is among the rubric contenders again.