Gauff was beaten 6-2, 4-6, 6-3 by world No 1 Aryna Sabalenka on Saturday afternoon, though there were still positives for the American to take despite her loss.
The 22-year-old was in the first Miami Open final of her career, having never previously made it past round four of the WTA 1000 event, while she was into her first final of 2026 following a difficult start to the season by her own high standards.
Gauff contested four straight three-set matches to reach the last four of the event, but produced one of her best performances of the year to thrash Karolina Muchova in the semi-final, before an encouraging display against Sabalenka.
The American’s run means she is back up to world No 3 in the WTA Rankings, and will now look to continue her positive form into the clay-court swing, which starts this week.
Speaking on Sky Sports following Saturday’s final, former world No 7 Bartoli stated that Gauff should look to bring key elements of her game from Miami into the next few months.
“She came up a little short, but the way she was able to find a way in the second set to steal a set was incredible,” said Bartoli.
“It was total dominance in the first set from Aryna, winning so much. It showed incredible mentality and heart, and that is why she (Gauff) has already won two Grand Slams. Because she is a tough competitor, with her heart, with her fight, with her backhand.
“I loved the fact (on Saturday) she was using her slice serve a lot. That should be a pattern she is going to use on clay as well.
“She is the Roland Garros defending champion, but she can build momentum to include this, and the way she was able to hold on to that serve and forehand (on Saturday) was a positive she can take.”
Gauff is set to start her clay-court swing at the Women’s Stuttgart Open, a WTA 500 event which will take place from April 13-19.
The American will then likely compete at the WTA 1000 events in Madrid and Rome, having finished as the runner-up at both tournaments in 2025.
Gauff was beaten by Sabalenka in the Madrid Open final last May, before defeat to Jasmine Paolini in the Italian Open final a fortnight later.
However, she will enter Roland Garros as the reigning champion, having beaten world No 1 Sabalenka in a three-set final last June.
Roland Garros has traditionally been Gauff’s strongest major, having reached at least the quarter-final stage of the tournament every year since 2021 – and reaching a first final at the event back in 2022, where she fell to Iga Swiatek.
