Coco Gauff loses at the U.S. Open to Emma Navarro, ending her title defense

NEW YORK — That is just about all anybody must learn about defending champion Coco Gauff’s 6-3, 4-6, 6-3 loss to Emma Navarro within the U.S. Open’s fourth spherical on Sunday: Gauff wound up with extra double-faults, 19, than winners, 14.

It was the newest in a sequence of early-for-her exits in latest weeks, together with bowing out within the third spherical on the Paris Olympics, then going 1-2 at hard-court tuneup occasions earlier than arriving in New York.

“I really feel like there’s 70 different gamers within the draw that might like to have the summer time that I had, despite the fact that it is (the) least, in all probability, (I’ve) accomplished properly throughout this time of the yr,” stated the No. 3-seeded Gauff, who went 18-1 in the course of the North American swing on exhausting courts 12 months in the past, together with the run to her first Grand Slam title. “So many individuals need to be within the fourth spherical. So many individuals need to make the Olympics. So many individuals need to be flag bearer. It is perspective.”

The 20-year-old from Florida did struggle her manner again into the match with a four-game run during which she claimed 14 of 17 factors and grabbed the second set.

“Had somewhat little bit of a lull there,” stated the Thirteenth-seeded Navarro, an American who was 0-2 on the U.S. Open till this yr, “however I used to be in a position to regroup.”

After every of her previous two contests in New York, Gauff headed again out onto the follow courts to work on her serve. That did not assist a lot on Sunday, when she tied her profession excessive for double-faults: She additionally had 19 in a loss on the 2020 French Open. Towards Navarro, Gauff delivered a trio of double-faults in 4 completely different video games. Eleven of the double-faults got here within the closing set alone.

Gauff attributed her issues to a mixture of points along with her mechanics — “I am going down on my left facet lots on my serve, and it is one thing I am conscious of, nevertheless it’s robust within the second to, I assume, attempt to not do it,” she defined — and in her thoughts.

“It is generally extra of an emotional, psychological factor, as a result of if I am going out on the follow court docket proper now, I might make, like, 30 serves in a row. I’ve accomplished it earlier than,” Gauff stated. “I believe it is also simply type of a psychological hurdle that I’ve to recover from when it comes. … However I undoubtedly need to take a look at different issues, as a result of I do not need to lose matches like this anymore.”

She completed with a complete of 60 unforced errors — a whopping 29 on her forehand facet.

The 23-year-old Navarro, who additionally eradicated Gauff within the fourth spherical at Wimbledon in July, was far steadier on Sunday, though she nonetheless did have 35 unforced errors.

“It was somewhat little bit of a battle of will there for a bit. However happy with simply my effort as we speak,” stated Navarro, a U.S. teammate of Gauff’s on the Paris Video games. “I used to be in a position to stick in there by way of some robust moments.”

This end result follows a third-round loss by defending males’s champion Novak Djokovic on Friday, that means the prolonged droughts with out anybody profitable consecutive titles in New York will proceed. The final lady to win a minimum of two in a row was Serena Williams with three from 2012-14; the final man to take action was Roger Federer with 5 from 2004-08.

Frances Tiafoe eradicated No. 28 seed Alexei Popyrin, the participant who surprised Djokovic, with a 6-4, 7-6 (3), 2-6, 6-3 victory on Sunday night time. The No. 20 seed superior to his third straight U.S. Open quarterfinal and can play No. 9 Grigor Dimitrov, who held off Andrey Rublev 6-3, 7-6 (3), 1-6, 3-6, 6-3 with 23-time Grand Slam champion Williams watching and providing a thumbs-up at match’s finish.

Additionally shifting on Sunday was No. 12 Taylor Fritz, who beat three-time Grand Slam finalist Casper Ruud 3-6, 6-4, 6-3, 6-2. Fritz’s quarterfinal opponent might be 2020 U.S. Open runner-up Alexander Zverev, who acquired previous Brandon Nakashima 3-6, 6-1, 6-2, 6-2.

“I am on the level now the place I am nonetheless completely happy to make quarterfinals, however I would not be pleased with it ending right here,” stated Fritz, who has but to succeed in a Grand Slam semifinal. “I undoubtedly am on the level the place I actually need greater than that.”

The Wimbledon win over Gauff earned Navarro, the 2021 NCAA singles champion for the College of Virginia, her first look in a serious quarterfinal. Her second will come Tuesday in New York towards No. 26 Paula Badosa, a 6-1, 6-2 winner towards Wang Yafan. The opposite girls’s match that day might be between No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka — she was final yr’s runner-up to Gauff and beat Elise Mertens 6-2, 6-4 on Sunday — and both No. 7 Zheng Qinwen or No. 24 Donna Vekic.

The quarterfinals will give Navarro one other probability to play at Arthur Ashe Stadium in entrance of a giant crowd. She’d by no means hit a ball within the place till Sunday — and felt reasonably comfortable, anyway.

“I have been out on massive courts earlier than, the place I simply felt completely overwhelmed and virtually prefer it’s an out-of-body expertise. However I did not really feel like that as we speak,” Navarro stated. “I felt comfy from the time I stepped out onto the court docket, which I used to be somewhat bit stunned about. I type of had ready myself for the worst, simply by way of feeling overwhelmed and nervous.”

Certain did not carry out that manner.

Gauff was the one who was unable to convey her finest.

“I count on higher, however on the finish of the day it occurred,” Gauff stated, “and I do know I can flip it round.”

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