Coco Gauff suffers shocking defeat in Cincinnati opener

Coco Gauff had hoped to regain her form at the Cincinnati Open following a series of defeats by lower-ranked players, but her title defense came to an abrupt end after a stunning loss in her opener.

Putintseva d. Coco Gauff 6-4 2-6 6-4 in Cincinnati

Down 2-4 in the 3rd set

Yulia knocks out the defending champion

She’s now beaten both the world #1 and #2 this year

✅3rd top 10 win of 2024
✅Won 10 of last 11 matches

She’s turning this into an unforgettable season.

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The 20-year-old American, who is based in Florida, was defeated 6-4, 2-6, 6-4 by Kazakhstan’s Yulia Putintseva, the world number 34, on Thursday.

This loss adds to Gauff’s recent struggles, as she arrived in Cincinnati with four tour-level defeats to unfancied players dating back to the French Open in June. The defeat also hampers her preparations for the upcoming U.S. Open, where she will aim to defend her title from August 26 to September 8.

Gauff made 50 unforced errors during the match, including nine double faults, and acknowledged that it was far from her best performance.