July 02, (THEWILL) — Coco Gauff suffered a shock first-round exit at Wimbledon on Tuesday, losing in straight sets to Ukraine’s Dayana Yastremska on No. 1 Court. The 20-year-old American, ranked world No. 2, was outplayed 7-6(3), 6-1 in just 79 minutes under the closed roof, marking her second early departure from the All England Club in three years. Yastremska, currently ranked No. 42, overwhelmed Gauff with low, skidding groundstrokes and punished her second serves throughout the match.
Despite her reputation for grit and defensive ability, Gauff struggled to assert herself on the grass. She double-faulted nine times, including twice in the opening-set tiebreak, which she had appeared on course to rescue. The French Open champion had admitted before the tournament that her serve would need to be reliable to stand any chance, but it failed her at crucial moments. Her forehand, frequently criticised on grass, was again exposed by Yastremska’s aggressive positioning and sharp returns.
Yastremska, who reached the semi-finals of the Australian Open last year, kept up the pressure with controlled aggression, timing her attacks with precision. Her only moment of wavering came late in the first set, but she recovered quickly. The final point, a fierce return winner struck from Gauff’s first serve, sealed one of the most notable wins of her career. Speaking after the match, the Ukrainian said she had expected a tight contest but felt confident from the outset.
For Gauff, the loss extends her underwhelming history at Wimbledon, the site of her breakout as a 15-year-old in 2019. Since then, she has failed to progress beyond the fourth round, and her latest campaign was hampered by a lack of grass court preparation. After winning Roland Garros, she participated in only one grass warm-up event, losing early in Berlin, while juggling extensive media obligations. In her press conference, Gauff admitted to feeling emotionally drained and not fully reset following her success in Paris.
Despite her disappointment, Gauff remains focused on the season ahead. She is expected to begin preparations for the North American hard court swing, potentially starting with the Citi Open in Washington later this month. Looking ahead to the US Open, Gauff said she would use the extra time to recover and prepare. Yet the sting of another Wimbledon disappointment remains.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
