Coco Gauff on controversial French Open night session: "We were happy with the men taking it"

Coco Gauff recently commented on the men getting all the night sessions so far at the 2023 French Open, saying that the women mostly don't want them anyway.

For the first seven days of the 2023 French Open, only men have played during the night session at Court Philippe Chatrier. However, that will change on Sunday, June 4, when Aryna Sabalenka and Sloane Stephens are scheduled to play.

When asked about the issue of night sessions, Coco Gauff admitted she was unaware that Sabalenka and Stephens were set to become the first women's players this year to feature in the primetime slot.

"I didn't see that they were scheduled. To be honest, I mean, I didn't realize only the men have been scheduled in that spot," Coco Gauff said said in the press conference.

The 19-year-old also claimed that her colleagues don't want to play at night anyway and that they're happy with the men's singles being scheduled at that time.

"I mean, I really don't have much of an opinion on it. I don't know if the night session amongst the players is a popular hotspot, to be honest. I guess for the TV and that's the prime spot, maybe yes, it does suck in that sense," Gauff said.

"But amongst the players and from my conversations, I don't think a lot of people want that spot just because it is a late night. Yeah, I really don't have much say on that. Yeah, I mean, just speaking to the players, I don't know if Sloane or Aryna wanted to play at that time, but I know the ones I spoke to, no one really wants the night session," the American added.

The 2022 French Open finalist thinks having only men playing night sessions is a good and bad thing at the same time.

"On that sense, we were happy with the men taking it, but obviously it is the prime spot. So it does suck a little bit in that way. It depends on how you think about it, to be honest," Gauff concluded.

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Coco Gauff to play Anna Karolina Schmiedlova in the fourth round of the French Open 2023

Coco Gauff at the 2023 French Open

Coco Gauff is set to face Anna Karolina Schmiedlova from Slovakia in the fourth round of Roland Garros.

Gauff defeated Rebeka Masarova 3-6, 6-1, 6-2, in the first round, Julia Grabher, 6-2, 6-3 in the second round, and Mirra Andreeva 6-7(5), 6-1, 6-1, in the third round.

Schmiedlova meanwhile bested Veronika Kudermetova 6-3, 6-1, in the first round, Aliona Bolsova 6-3, 6-4, in the second round, and Kayla Day 6-1, 6-3 in the third round.

The American and the Slovak have had one head-to-head duel in the past, with Gauff being victorious in the first round of the 2022 Madrid Open 6-0, 6-2.