Coco Gauff is starting to own Indian Wells like it’s a second home with a reserved parking spot. The No. 4 seed punched her ticket to the third round of the BNP Paribas Open on Friday, taking down Kamilla Rakhimova 6-3, 7-6(5) in a match that was equal parts dominant and nerve-wracking. Six trips to Indian Wells. Six third-round appearances.
Gauff Controlled the First Set With Authority
The opening set belonged to Gauff from the jump. She moved well, struck cleanly, and looked every bit the world-class player that she is. Rakhimova had her moments, but Gauff kept the pressure on and closed out the first set 6-3 without much drama.
For a minute there, it looked like this was going to be one of those tidy, efficient wins that Gauff makes look effortless. Then the second set happened.
Gauff Saved a Set Point and Flipped the Script
At 2-5 down in the second, things got real. Rakhimova was serving for the set, and Gauff was staring down a set point. It was one of those moments where the match either slips away or the competitor inside you wakes all the way up. Gauff chose the latter.
She saved the set point, clawed her way back into the set, and eventually forced a tiebreak. That kind of mental resilience isn’t something you can coach into a player. Either you have it, or you don’t. Gauff absolutely has it.
In the tiebreak, Rakhimova kept fighting, but the American closed it out 7-5 to seal the match and keep her Indian Wells record spotless in the third-round column.
What This Indian Wells Record Actually Means
Six appearances. Six third-round berths. No exceptions. That kind of consistency at a Premier-level event doesn’t happen by accident. Indian Wells is one of the biggest tournaments outside of the Slams. It is a desert showcase that draws the best women’s players in the world. Making the third round once is an achievement. Making it every single time you show up? That’s a statement about who you are as a player.
Gauff has long been talked about as a generational talent. Those conversations started when she was a teenager, upsetting Venus Williams at Wimbledon in 2019. But what separates the players who are simply talented from those who become champions is the ability to show up on big stages and deliver. Friday was a perfect example. Down 2-5 in the second, most players tighten up. Gauff loosened up and took over.
A Game Built For the Big Moments
One of the things that makes watching Gauff so compelling is that her best tennis tends to emerge when the pressure is highest. That’s counterintuitive for most athletes, but for her, it seems almost hardwired.
Her movement was sharp throughout the Rakhimova match. Her groundstrokes had weight and direction. And when the second set tightened, she didn’t panic. There’s a difference, and great players understand it. She’ll face a third-round opponent next, and the draw at Indian Wells is never easy. But if history is any guide, she will show up ready.
What’s Next At Indian Wells
The third round awaits, and with it, a fresh challenge. Gauff will need to bring that same second-set grit if she wants to keep her Indian Wells run alive and make a deep push in the draw.
