Defending champion Coco Gauff’s journey at this year’s U.S. Open came to an abrupt end in the fourth round, where she was defeated by Emma Navarro 6-3, 4-6, 6-3 on Sunday.
Gauff, the No. 3 seed, struggled with her serve throughout the match, recording 19 double-faults compared to only 14 winners.
Gauff had been on a 10-match winning streak at Flushing Meadows, including her victory in last year’s final that secured her first Grand Slam title. Four of her wins in that span came after dropping the opening set, including her third-round match on Friday. However, the 20-year-old from Florida could not mount another comeback against Navarro, despite a four-game streak in the second set where she won 14 of 17 points to force a decisive third set.
“Had a little bit of a lull there,” said Navarro, the 13th seed, who had been 0-2 at the U.S. Open until this year. “But I was able to regroup … and come into the third set with a fresher mindset.”
Despite heading back to the practice courts to work on her serve after her previous two matches, Gauff’s struggles continued on Sunday. She matched her career-high of 19 double-faults, a record set during her loss at the 2020 French Open. In her match against Navarro, Gauff committed three double-faults in three separate games, including two in the critical third set.
In total, Gauff amassed 60 unforced errors, with 29 coming from her forehand, a known weakness in her game. Navarro, who had previously beaten Gauff in the fourth round at Wimbledon in July, was more consistent, committing 35 unforced errors.
“Coco’s an amazing player, and I have a ton of respect for her,” Navarro said. “I know she’s going to come back and win this thing again one year.”
This loss for Gauff follows the surprising third-round exit of defending men’s champion Novak Djokovic on Friday, ensuring that the drought of consecutive title winners at the U.S. Open will continue. The last woman to win back-to-back titles was Serena Williams, who secured three consecutive victories from 2012 to 2014. On the men’s side, Roger Federer remains the last to achieve the feat, with five consecutive titles from 2004 to 2008.
Navarro’s win over Gauff at Wimbledon marked her first appearance in a Grand Slam quarterfinal, and she will now play in her second on Tuesday in New York against No. 26 seed Paula Badosa, who advanced by defeating Wang Yafan 6-1, 6-2.
In other matches on Sunday, No. 9 men’s seed Grigor Dimitrov overcame Andrey Rublev 6-3, 7-6 (3), 1-6, 3-6, 6-3 to reach the quarterfinals. Rublev, seeded No. 6, is known for his volatile reactions during matches, and during the first set, he required medical attention for a cut on his left hand after striking it with his racket. In the second-set tiebreaker, Rublev led 3-1 but lost the next six points, hitting himself in the face in frustration.
Dimitrov will next face either No. 20 seed Frances Tiafoe or No. 28 seed Alexei Popyrin, who upset Djokovic on Friday.
Additionally, No. 12 seed Taylor Fritz advanced by defeating three-time Grand Slam finalist Casper Ruud 3-6, 6-4, 6-3, 6-2. Fritz will meet either fellow American Brandon Nakashima or Germany’s Alexander Zverev, the 2020 U.S. Open runner-up, in the quarterfinals.
“I’m at the point now where I’m still happy to make quarterfinals, but I wouldn’t be happy with it ending here,” said Fritz, who has yet to reach a Grand Slam semifinal. “I definitely am at the point where I really want more than that.”
