Gauff eliminates Konta in opening round at Roland Garros

Add the French Open to Coco Gauff's list of Grand Slam tournaments where she has beaten seeded opponents.

The 16-year-old American made her main-draw debut at Roland Garros a successful one by eliminating No. 9 seed Johanna Konta 6-3, 6-3 at Court Suzanne Lenglen on Sunday.

Konta was a semifinalist a year ago in Paris, while Gauff lost in qualifying rounds.

It was at the next major tournament, Wimbledon, where Gauff made her breakthrough, becoming at 15 the youngest player ever to qualify at the All England Club - and then beating Venus Williams en route to the fourth round.

Gauff then reached the third round at the U.S. Open last year, and the fourth round at the Australian Open this year, beating 2019 champion Naomi Osaka along the way.

Things had been a bit tougher for Gauff lately: She entered the French Open having lost four of her past five matches. But she handled the cold weather and heavy conditions better than Konta, a three-time Grand Slam semifinalist.