Coco Gauff’s bid for a historic back-to-back Grand Slam titles came to an abrupt end at Wimbledon on Tuesday night, as she fell 7-6 (3), 6-1 to unseeded Dayana Yastremska of Ukraine. Gauff, the No. 2-ranked player in the world, became just the third woman in Open era history to lose in the first round after winning a major title just weeks prior.
Gauff’s struggles were evident from the start, as she made multiple mistakes and committed 29 unforced errors, including nine double-faults. Despite being the favorite, Gauff said she was “mentally overwhelmed” by the quick turnaround between her French Open win and Wimbledon debut.
The loss marked a rare early exit for both Gauff and top-ranked American Jessica Pegula, who also lost in the first round. The defeat is particularly notable given Gauff’s poor form on grass courts, which has been a major hurdle for her throughout her career.
Yastremska, ranked 42nd, pulled off the upset of the tournament, praising Gauff as “something special.” The Ukrainian player credited her recent win at a smaller event in Nottingham with boosting her confidence and preparedness for Wimbledon.
Source: https://www.espn.com/tennis/story/_/id/45634161/no-2-gauff-upset-first-round-wimbledon-yastremska