American Coco Gauff will have to relinquish her throne at the US Open after a loss of 3-6, 6-4, and 3-6 to her compatriot Emma Navarro on Sunday in the Round of 16.
The third seed committed 19 double faults and only managed 14 winning shots.
I don’t want to lose matches like this anymore, said Gauff, who attributed her serving difficulties to a mix of mechanical and psychological issues.
She had won 10 consecutive matches in New York, including her first Grand Slam title in 2023.
Four of those victories were achieved after losing the opening set, but the 20-year-old from Florida could not overcome the deficit this time. This was despite a run of four games mid-match during which she won 14 of the 17 points to take the second set and get off to a good start in the third.
I had a little moment of inertia, said Navarro, the 13th seed, who had a 0-2 record at Flushing Meadows until this year. But I was able to pull myself together and approach the third set with a renewed mindset.
Gauff’s 19 double faults matched a personal record set during a loss at the French Open in 2020.
She also recorded 60 unforced errors, including 29 from her forehand, the biggest weakness in her game. Navarro, who had eliminated Gauff in the fourth round at Wimbledon in July, was much more stable with 35 unforced errors.
Coco is an extraordinary player, and I have a lot of respect for her, she said about her Olympic teammate in Paris. I know she will come back and win this tournament again one day.
When she defeated Gauff at the All England Club, Navarro qualified for the quarter-finals of a Grand Slam tournament for the first time.
On Tuesday, it will therefore be her second meeting at this stage of a major tournament. She will face Spanish player Paula Badosa.
Badosa Emerges
Three months after contemplating retirement at age 26 due to back pain, Paula Badosa has qualified for the quarter-finals.
So making this beautiful run here is a dream come true, she said with misty eyes after her Round of 16 victory.
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A stress fracture in her spine from May 2023 during the Italian Open in Rome has sidelined her for a long time, and the resulting pain is unlikely to go away.
Only cortisone injections allow her to manage the pain, and being well for another three or four years would be great, she specified in New York.
Having dropped to 101st in the WTA rankings at the time, she is now 26th thanks to her title in Washington this summer, her fourth career title, and her semi-final appearance in Cincinnati.
Her run in New York will propel her even higher.
I’ve always said that if my back responds well, if my injury responds well, I have the talent to return to the top. I just need my body to hold up because my mind and tennis are there, she concluded.
Other Round of 16 Results:
- Zheng Qinwen (CHN/no 7) defeats Donna Vekic (CRO/no 24) 7-6 (7/2), 4-6, 6-2
- Aryna Sabalenka (BLR/no 2) defeats Elise Mertens (BEL/no 33) 6-2, 6-4