Coco Gauff exits Wimbledon after first-round defeat, says clay suits her better than grass courts

WIMBLEDON, LONDON: World No. 2 Coco Gauff faces a stunning first-round defeat and early exit at Wimbledon, losing to World No. 42 Dayana Yastremska. The Ukrainian athlete impressively displayed a 7-6(3), 6-1 performance to secure her place in the second round at the All England Club. 

This match was a rematch of their previous encounter at the Madrid Open, where Gauff claimed the victory over Yastremska. Gauff’s comeback win in Madrid sparked her outstanding clay-court run this season, which then went on to reach the finals in both Madrid and Rome, and captured her first Grand Slam title at the French Open.

However, Gauff revealed that after her victory at Roland Garros, her early exit at Wimbledon has been difficult for her, especially in coping with the quick transition between the two tournaments. 

“I feel like mentally I was a little bit overwhelmed with everything that came afterwards, so I didn’t feel like I had enough time to celebrate and also get back into it,” Gauff shared. 

She added, “But it’s the first time in this experience of, like, coming off a win and having to play Wimbledon. I definitely learned a lot of what I would and would not do again.” 

Moreover, Gauff admitted that she plays better on the clay surface, and it was tough transitioning to the grass courts. 

“Also, she [Yastremska] played great. I mean, I saw the draw and knew it would be a tough match for me… I think obviously I played her on clay, and I think that surface suits me a little better. It was still a tough three-setter. Yeah, I knew today would be tough,” she declared. 

The American’s playing style is suited for clay courts, and Gauff admitted that she is eager to make improvements on the grass courts in the future, saying, “I have faith that if I can make these adjustments, I can do well here. I really do want to do well here… I’m not someone who wants to write myself off grass this early in my career, but I definitely need to make changes if I want to be successful here.” 

Gauff’s impressive career

Coco Gauff’s breakthrough at a Grand Slam came at Wimbledon in 2019. Back then, she was a 15-year-old qualifier when she defeated five-time champion Venus Williams in the first round of the tournament. 

Furthermore, Gauff became the youngest player to qualify for Wimbledon in the Open era, and won against Williams with a final score of 6-4, 6-4, before moving forward to the fourth round of the competition in her debut season. 

Gauff claimed Slam titles at both the US Open and French Open, and she also reached the semifinals of the Australian Open. She has yet to advance beyond the fourth round at Wimbledon. 

Unfortunately, this year’s first-round loss is the second time in three years that she exited Wimbledon early, having previously been defeated by Sofia Kenin in the opening match in 2023. 

In a social media post, fans flooded Gauff with support despite the loss. One told her to “hang tough” and reminded her she’s “still a queen—beauty queen as well.” Others encouraged her to take a break and come back stronger in New York, while one message summed up the mood: “Every test is a lesson and a blessing. Rise up.”