Coco Gauff arrives at the Miami Open as World No. 4 and fourth seed, stepping in with a first-round bye. She will open her campaign against either Elisabetta Cocciaretto or Darja Semenistaja. Now, before striking her first ball, she sets her sights on a deep run and long-awaited breakthrough at Hard Rock Stadium.

Coco Gauff spoke about her goals ahead of the Miami Open during Media Day on March 17.

“I would love to do well here. It seems like every time I do bad here, I end up doing well on the clay, which I can’t get too mad, but this is obviously a bucket-list tournament for me. I do stay at home, but I’ve also played this tournament in the past where I’ve stayed in a hotel, and neither has been better,” she said.

Gauff remains hopeful for a change this year. 

“I prefer to stay home, but I don’t know, but maybe this year is the year,” said the 22-year-old.

Her past results show a pattern. When she exits early in Miami, she often performs better on clay. In 2021, she lost early to Anastasija Sevastova. After that, she reached strong results in multiple clay tournaments.

She made the quarterfinals in Charleston. Gauff then won titles at the Emilia-Romagna Open. She also reached the quarterfinals at the French Open.

In 2025, her Miami run ended in the Round of 16. That result helped her prepare for a strong clay season. She reached the finals in Madrid and Rome. She also won her second Grand Slam title at Roland Garros in 2025.

Despite this, Miami has remained a challenge. She has never gone beyond the fourth round. Still, the tournament holds special meaning. It was the site of her first WTA win in 2019 at just 15 years old.

Injury concerns have also surfaced, and she has shared an update on her condition before stepping onto the court.

Coco Gauff shares update on injury scare

Coco Gauff faced a worrying moment earlier this month. She retired mid-match at the BNP Paribas Open due to pain in her left arm. She was trailing Alexandra Eala 2-6, 0-2 in the third round. The situation raised immediate concern about her fitness.

“Never had anything like this before, never felt anything, a sensation like this before,” she said. “And then as the match played, it got progressively worse, even when I wasn’t using my arm on shots that I wasn’t even using my left arm for. It felt like fireworks at times. Yeah, it was a scary feeling.”

Despite the scare, she has provided a positive update. Speaking ahead of the Miami Open, she said her arm is improving.

“It was a nerve thing, like I said immediately after the match,” she confirmed. “I think the goal was to play this tournament. There was a thought of maybe skipping it, but if it wasn’t Miami I probably would skip it, but the fact that it is Miami, I really wanted to be here.”

She also spoke about undergoing an MRI scan. It was her first time experiencing the process.

“That was the first time I took an MRI, they’re expensive, and I felt like that’s what a coffin would feel like,” Gauff said. “It was very weird. I felt claustrophobic, so I definitely don’t want to go into one of those again.”

Now, her focus shifts back to competition. The draw ahead in Miami will not be easy. If she wins her second-round match, tougher challenges await. The path forward looks demanding.

Still, playing at home could motivate her. She will aim to build momentum in front of familiar support. Her performance here will shape her next clay court swing.