PARIS — Title holder Coco Gauff suffered a shocking elimination at the French Open on Saturday, falling to Austria’s Anastasia Potapova in a three-set thriller that ended 4-6, 7-6(1), 6-4.
The upset victory sends Potapova into the fourth round and keeps her pursuit of a first Grand Slam championship alive, while adding Gauff’s name to a growing list of high-profile casualties at Roland Garros this year.
Saturday’s result caps off a devastating stretch for tournament favorites, with top men’s players Jannik Sinner and Novak Djokovic already eliminated from their bracket. Gauff struggled to find her top form during crucial moments of the match.
With the defending champion now out of contention, four-time winner Iga Swiatek and top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka emerge as the primary favorites for the title. Meanwhile, Potapova positions herself as a potential surprise contender after delivering such a significant upset.
“I’m cramping a little bit, but it’s OK, it’s all good. I don’t have any words now, I’m extremely happy,” Potapova told reporters on court while holding her right arm following the two-hour, 37-minute battle.
“The fight we could show, both of us… Coco’s such a champion and I respect her so much. I’m unbelievably proud of myself that I stayed there, that I was fighting until the very last point,” she added.
Potapova dominated early with aggressive shots from the baseline, securing an immediate break to love in the match’s first game. She extended her advantage to 4-2 after Gauff took a tumble on Court Philippe Chatrier while attempting to reach a ball.
The American recovered her composure and claimed the following two games before a relatively small center court audience, as many spectators were divided between watching Paris St Germain’s Champions League soccer final against Arsenal in Budapest and following Frenchman Moise Kouame’s match at the tournament.
The 22-year-old Gauff elevated her performance to capture the opening set, but the Russian-born Potapova responded by intensifying her attack on the American’s inconsistent serve, earning two early breaks in the second set.
Leading 5-2 and positioned to force a deciding set, Potapova seemed ready to even the match. However, Gauff mounted a comeback by winning four consecutive games before dropping the next game and ultimately losing the set in a tiebreaker where her serve faltered.
Both players exchanged breaks in an intense final set, but fourth-ranked Gauff lost momentum as Potapova seized command and closed out the victory in impressive fashion. The win sets up a fourth-round clash with 22nd-seeded Anna Kalinskaya.
The 30th-ranked Potapova described the triumph as among her career’s most significant achievements.
“It’s up there in the top three for sure,” she concluded.
