Coco Gauff, ranked third, lost to American Emma Navarro 6-3 4-6 6-3 in the US Open fourth round, ending Gauff’s title defence.
Gauff had trouble with her serve and made 19 double faults, including 11 in the decisive set, in spite of an enthusiastic audience. Navarro took advantage of these errors, making big plays and setting the pace with forceful groundballs.
“I lost in the first round the last two years, and now to be making the quarterfinals is pretty insane,” said Navarro, a New York City native. “This is the city I was born in and it feels so special.”
This marks Navarro’s second consecutive victory over Gauff, having also defeated her in the fourth round of Wimbledon.
“Coco is an amazing player,” Navarro added. “I have a ton of respect for her and I know she’s going to come back here and win this thing again.”
Gauff admitted her struggles, stating, “I fought really hard today. I just didn’t take care of my serve, so that was the biggest difference. Mentally and emotionally, I gave it my all. I wish I could serve better. I think if I would did that, it would have been a different story.”
Navarro advances to the quarterfinals to face 26th seed Paula Badosa. The win solidifies her status as a rising star, making her the youngest American woman to reach the quarterfinals at both Wimbledon and the US Open in the same year since Serena Williams in 2004.
Navarro’s impressive run includes a maiden WTA title in Hobart and notable victories over top players, including world number two Aryna Sabalenka.
“When I first left college, my coach and I made a two-year contract to fully commit to professional tennis,” Navarro told the WTA website. “I hit the two-year mark this June, and we didn’t even acknowledge it. I definitely have surpassed my expectations.”
