Coco Gauff finds herself at a crossroads this season as she looks to turn around a series of disappointing results. After a promising start to 2025 by reaching the quarterfinals at the Australian Open, the 21-year-old American has struggled to maintain consistency. Since then, she has suffered early-round exits at four consecutive tournaments — the Qatar Open, Dubai Tennis Championships, Indian Wells, and Miami Open. Her latest setback came at the hands of Magda Linette in the Round of 16 at the Miami Open, leading Gauff to reflect on her confidence issues, saying, “It’s just a series of not having great results and feeling confident on the court.”
This week, however, Gauff is aiming for a turnaround at the Stuttgart Open. She enters the quarterfinal stage with determination, though she faces a challenging test against World No.6 Jasmine Paolini of Italy on Saturday.
At the start of the year, Gauff looked poised to have a strong season. She battled through to the quarterfinals in Melbourne before falling to Spain’s Paula Badosa in straight sets (7-5, 6-4). But momentum didn’t carry through, as she failed to make it past the early rounds in her next four tournaments. With no semifinal appearances yet in 2025, the Stuttgart Open may be her chance to reset.
She got off to a confident start this week, cruising past Germany’s Ella Seidel with a commanding 6-1, 6-1 victory in the Round of 16. Now, she’s hoping to build on that performance.
Paolini, like Gauff, has also had an up-and-down season. She exited the Australian Open in the third round after losing to Elina Svitolina and followed it with early departures in the next three events. However, her performance at the Miami Open showed signs of resurgence — she advanced to the semifinals before falling to current World No.1 Aryna Sabalenka. In Stuttgart, Paolini has looked sharp, dispatching Eva Lys 6-2, 6-1 and Jule Niemeier 6-1, 7-5 to reach the quarters.
When it comes to head-to-head matchups, Gauff holds a perfect 2-0 record against Paolini. They last met at the 2023 Cincinnati Masters, where Gauff won in straight sets (6-3, 6-2). Their first meeting was back in 2021 at the Adelaide International, where Gauff prevailed in three sets.
In terms of overall 2025 performance, Paolini has a slight edge with 12 wins in 17 matches, compared to Gauff’s 9 wins from 14 outings. Neither player has had a standout run in Stuttgart historically. Gauff reached the quarterfinals last year, her best showing so far, while Paolini matched her 2024 result with another quarterfinal appearance this season.
As for their styles, both are known for aggressive baseline play and strong groundstrokes. Gauff pairs her powerful serve with excellent court coverage and versatility at the net. Paolini, despite being shorter in stature, compensates with speed and a strong forehand, which she uses effectively to switch between defensive and offensive play.
While the matchup is expected to be close, Gauff’s previous success against Paolini and her strong opening performance this week make her the likely favorite. Still, Paolini’s recent form and confidence from her Miami Open semifinal run shouldn’t be underestimated.
The quarterfinal clash in Stuttgart could be a turning point for either player — a breakthrough moment for Gauff to reclaim her momentum or an opportunity for Paolini to further prove her growing presence among the WTA’s elite.