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Coco Gauff vowed to adjust her approach after suffering a shock first-round defeat at Wimbledon on Tuesday, just weeks after claiming the French Open title.
The US second seed was knocked out by Ukraine’s world number 42 Dayana Yastremska, losing 7-6 (7-3), 6-1.
Having won two Grand Slam titles, Gauff had been tipped to make a deep run at the All England Club following her success at Roland Garros in June. Instead, the 21-year-old endured her earliest major exit since another first-round loss at Wimbledon last year.
Yastremska powered to victory in 78 minutes, joining third seed Jessica Pegula and fifth seed Zheng Qinwen among the notable early casualties on a day full of upsets.
“I think mentally I was a bit overwhelmed with everything that happened after the French Open,” Gauff admitted. “I didn’t really get enough time to celebrate or to reset. This was my first experience coming off a major win and having to play Wimbledon immediately afterwards. I definitely learned what I would and wouldn’t do next time.”
Asked what changes she might make, Gauff said she planned to play more grass-court events ahead of Wimbledon.
“I think I could have done with more matches on grass,” she explained. “It’s like solving a puzzle. I usually avoid playing the week before Wimbledon because it’s such a quick turnaround, but maybe I’ll consider tournaments like Bad Homburg or Eastbourne to prepare better.
“If I get the chance again, I’ll approach it differently. It wasn’t all bad — Dayana played really well, and I wasn’t terrible at times, but she was hitting some fantastic winners.”
Gauff has never advanced beyond the fourth round in her six Wimbledon appearances. This defeat came following an uncharacteristically error-prone performance, including nine double faults and 29 unforced errors, while producing just six winners.
Despite claiming an allergy to grass, Yastremska has been enjoying a strong season on the surface. She recently reached the Nottingham final and the Eastbourne quarter-finals in June.
“It was a great match today. I felt on fire — even my nails had flames on them!” Yastremska said with a smile. “Playing against Coco is always special. These courts are made for the best players, so I’m very grateful to be here.
“This win was unexpected, but I love playing on grass. I feel like this year we’ve become kind of friends with the surface. I hope this run continues.”
