Coco Gauff has been knocked out of Wimbledon following an unexpected first-round loss to the talented Ukrainian player Dayana Yastremska.
The match, initially set to take place on Centre Court but later moved to Court 1 under the roof, saw Yastremska deliver her best performance to date, defeating the French Open winner and world No. 2 with a 7-6, 6-1 victory.
Throughout the match, Gauff appeared shocked, frequently glancing at her player box in disbelief as the world No. 42, Yastremska, delivered an impressive display of winners over 78 minutes.
After the match, Yastremska, 25, reflected, “This court holds many special memories for me. I played my junior finals here, and it always brings back strong emotions.”
She continued, “Today was an excellent match; I was really in the zone. Facing Coco was something meaningful. She’s a fantastic player and person, and we share a good bond. I enjoyed the experience.”
Yastremska also praised the court’s prestige, saying, “This court is made for the best players, so I feel very fortunate to be on it.”
Having reached the final of the Nottingham Open, she admitted that her grass-court form has been unexpected, especially considering her health struggles at the French Open.
“My preparations for the grass season weren’t ideal,” she explained. “I fell ill during Roland Garros, and I didn’t play for over a week.”
Yastremska remarked, “In just two days of grass training, I headed straight to the Nottingham final. It was quite unexpected, but I believe it was a fantastic grass-court season for me with some memorable matches.
“I really enjoy playing on grass and being out on this court. This year, I feel like we’ve become more familiar with each other, and I hope this positive momentum continues. It’s a pleasure to be here.”
Meanwhile, in a day filled with surprises at Wimbledon, third seed in women’s singles Jessica Pegula was also knocked out in straight sets by Italy’s Elisabetta Cocciaretto.
Olympic champion Qinwen Zheng was another early casualty, losing in three sets to Katerina Siniakova.
In the men’s singles, third seed Alexander Zverev was eliminated in five sets by Arthur Rinderknech on Centre Court. Additionally, seventh seed and 2024 semi-finalist Lorenzo Musetti was defeated in four sets by qualifier Nikoloz Basilashvili.
The Independent continues to be the world’s most free-thinking news source, delivering global news, analysis, and commentary for an audience that values independence and positive change. Our mission to drive meaningful change has never been more vital than it is today.
Leave a Reply