Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the WTA Roland Garros match.
Ekaterina Alexandrova has broken new ground in Paris, reaching the second week of Roland Garros for the first time in her career. But the Russian has no intention of stopping there. A place in the quarter-finals is within reach, though standing in her way is world No.2 Coco Gauff — a stern test by any standard. A win here would mark the biggest Grand Slam result of Alexandrova’s career.
Ekaterina Alexandrova
Alexandrova has stepped up her game impressively in 2025. Her style has become more measured, with far fewer unforced risks. She’s won 11 of her 14 clay-court matches this season and has taken at least a set in each of her last seven outings against top-20 opposition. At Roland Garros, she’s yet to drop a set and has averaged 73% points won behind her first serve — a key stat on the slow clay.
Coco Gauff
Gauff has enjoyed a strong clay campaign overall, reaching finals in both Rome and Madrid. However, she’s not been at her best in Paris so far. The American has faced a soft draw — dispatching world No.172 Tereza Valentova and No.91 Olivia Gadecki — and struggled for rhythm against Marie Bouzkova (No.47), who took her to a second-set tiebreak. Coco’s serve remains a concern, often looking shaky under pressure. In four of her last five matches against top-20 opponents, those rivals have won at least seven games. While she leads the head-to-head (3-1), none of those matches came easy, and Alexandrova has won a minimum of eight games in each.
Ekaterina Alexandrova vs Coco Gauff Prediction
Alexandrova is more than capable of making life difficult for Gauff. She’s playing with confidence and precision, and her ability to dictate rallies could frustrate the American, especially if Coco’s serve continues to falter. Given the Russian’s form and past meetings, this won’t be a walk in the park for Gauff.
