Defending champion Coco Gauff faced a disappointing exit from the U.S. Open, losing 6-3, 4-6, 6-3 to Emma Navarro in the fourth round on Sunday. In a striking statistic, Gauff finished the match with 19 double-faults, which surpassed her total of 14 winners.
As the No. 3 seed, Gauff had come into the match with a strong track record, having won her last 10 matches at Flushing Meadows, including her first Grand Slam title last year. Despite her ability to come back from dropping the opening set in previous matches, the 20-year-old from Florida was unable to rally this time. She did manage to steal the second set after a surge in the middle of the match, where she won 14 out of 17 points, but could not maintain her momentum in the third set.
Navarro, the 13th seed, acknowledged a brief lull in her performance but credited her ability to regroup, allowing her to approach the final set with a refreshed mindset. Gauff’s serving issues were critical, as she struggled with multiple double-faults, including three in each of the sets, leading to significant setbacks at crucial moments. Overall, Gauff tallied 60 unforced errors, with 29 coming from her forehand, which has been identified as a weakness in her game. Conversely, Navarro displayed steadiness, committing only 35 unforced errors.
Navarro, who previously eliminated Gauff at Wimbledon earlier this summer, expressed her respect for Gauff, noting her belief that Gauff will return stronger in future tournaments.
Looking ahead, the 2024 U.S. Open is set to offer a total prize pool of $75 million, with the singles champions in both men’s and women’s categories taking home $3.6 million.
This loss adds to a surprising trend in the tournament, following reigning men’s champion Novak Djokovic’s unexpected exit in the third round. The absence of consecutive title winners in New York will persist, as the last woman to achieve back-to-back victories was Serena Williams from 2012 to 2014, while Roger Federer was the last man to do so between 2004 and 2008.
Navarro’s victory paves the way for her first appearance in a major quarterfinal, which will take place against No. 26 Paula Badosa, who defeated Wang Yafan 6-1, 6-2.
In other results from Sunday, Grigor Dimitrov secured a victory over Andrey Rublev, winning 6-3, 7-6 (3), 1-6, 3-6, 6-3, with 23-time Grand Slam champion Serena Williams in attendance to cheer him on. Dimitrov is set to face either No. 20 Frances Tiafoe or No. 28 Alexei Popyrin, who notably eliminated Djokovic. Additionally, No. 12 Taylor Fritz continued his progress by defeating Casper Ruud 3-6, 6-4, 6-3, 6-2, and will next play either Brandon Nakashima or 2020 U.S. Open runner-up Alexander Zverev.