Coco Gauff made her clay court season debut at the 2024 Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in Stuttgart, facing her compatriot Sachia Vickery in a closely contested match that nearly ended in defeat for Gauff.

Entering the clay season with high aspirations, including a desire to win the French Open, Gauff encountered a challenging test in Vickery, who delivered a strong performance over three sets.

The match started positively for Gauff as she secured an early lead in the opening set. Despite holding her serve for most of the set, Gauff faced a critical break at 4-2, missing an opportunity to extend her lead. However, she managed to regain momentum and close out the set 6-3 after breaking Vickery’s serve.

In the second set, Vickery maintained her solid play while Gauff faced difficulties, resulting in a 6-4 set loss for Gauff. Her struggles were particularly evident in her serving, with six double faults and a high percentage of points lost on her second serve.

Vickery’s aggressive approach, especially targeting Gauff’s weaker second serve, created additional pressure on Gauff. Despite taking an early break in the third set, Gauff struggled to settle her nerves, relinquishing a 2-0 lead to trail 2-4.

However, Gauff demonstrated resilience, clawing her way back to level the score at 4-4. Although she initially missed opportunities to break at 4-4, Gauff eventually capitalized on her chances at 5-5, securing a crucial break to win the third set 7-5 and ultimately the match.