Coco Gauff and Frances Tiafoe provided tennis fans with a humorous moment away from the court during the 2026 Italian Open in Rome. While appearing on Tennis Channel, Gauff recounted an incident where Tiafoe walked into a restaurant wearing sunglasses indoors, sparking laughter and playful teasing among players.
Gauff's Story About Tiafoe
Speaking on Tennis Channel, Coco Gauff explained how the funny moment unfolded. She said Frances Tiafoe entered a restaurant in Rome and suddenly put on sunglasses indoors, leaving everyone puzzled. Gauff openly laughed during the interview, saying, "This is like two days ago. We were in a restaurant and he walked in and he put on shades, and I was like, 'why are you putting on shades?' So I make fun of him because he thinks he's like LeBron like the way he talks and stuff, but it's Foe so if anyone can do it, it's Francis. But he definitely got crap from every single player for that and he didn't care, so that's what I respect."
Tiafoe's Relaxed Response
Frances Tiafoe later reacted in a relaxed manner instead of taking the joke seriously. He reposted the clip on his Instagram Stories and wrote, "It be yo own people," showing there was no bad feeling between the two American stars. The exchange quickly became one of the lighter moments around the tournament, especially after Tiafoe's social media reply.
Gauff's Italian Open Campaign
Away from the funny exchange, Coco Gauff started her Italian Open campaign strongly. The World No. 3 defeated Tereza Valentova 6-3, 6-4 in the second round. After the win, she repeated a famous Rafael Nadal quote while discussing momentum before the French Open. "It would be great to have a deep run here, to have momentum before Roland Garros. But you know, the Rafa quote… 'What happened in Madrid happened in Madrid. We are in Rome. Then we'll be in Paris.' I live by that quote," Gauff said.
Upcoming Matches
Gauff is now set to face Solana Sierra in the third round. Meanwhile, Frances Tiafoe, the No. 20 seed, will begin his men's singles campaign against Ignacio Buse after receiving a first-round bye. Both Americans are competing in the ATP Masters 1000 and WTA 1000 event during a busy week at the 2026 Italian Open.
