In a surprising turn of events at the Cincinnati Open, defending champion Coco Gauff was eliminated in the first round, falling 6-4, 2-6, 6-4 to Yulia Putintseva.
This early exit comes as Gauff heads into the US Open, where she will aim to defend her title.
Gauff, ranked No. 2 in the world, struggled with her game throughout the match, hitting nine double faults and making several unforced errors.
Putintseva, ranked No. 34, seized the opportunity by rallying from a 2-4 deficit in the final set to win four consecutive games and secure her first career victory over Gauff.
“The level of the game was high, especially for those conditions,” Putintseva told the WTA. “The courts are lightning fast, so I’m pretty happy to get through. The whole match was a roller coaster. I broke her a couple of times, and then she hit two double faults. I hit two good returns, and the game changed immediately.”
Putintseva will face Spain’s Paula Badosa in the next round as she continues her impressive run at the tournament.
Gauff’s unexpected exit comes on the heels of a second-round finish at the Canadian Open last week.
The 20-year-old American, who clinched her first Grand Slam title at the US Open last year, recently competed at the Olympics in Paris but was defeated by Croatia’s Donna Vekić in the third round.
In other Cincinnati Open action, Leylah Fernandez, the 2021 US Open runner-up, pulled off a major upset by defeating fourth seed Elena Rybakina 3-6, 7-6(3), 6-4.
Fernandez, now ranked No. 26 in the world, has made significant strides since her runner-up finish at the US Open, and her performance in Cincinnati underscores her rising form.
The Cincinnati Open is a critical lead-up event for players preparing for the US Open, which begins on Aug. 26.
Fans and analysts alike will be watching closely to see how these early results influence the upcoming Grand Slam.
