Coco Gauff’s defense of her US Open title came to a sudden end Sunday as Emma Navarro defeated her in a 6-3, 4-6, 6-3 upset at Arthur Ashe Stadium.
The 13th-ranked Navarro is quickly becoming the third-ranked Gauff’s nemesis as this is the second-straight major she’s knocked her out of. Navarro beat her 6-4, 6-3 this past July in the Round of 16 at Wimbledon.
Still, Gauff was favored heading into the match at -225 according to BetMGM while Navarro was +175. However, she did herself no favors, double-faulting 19 times including 11 in the final set.
It’s been a disappointing – if not disastrous – summer for Gauff. She first fell in straight sets to Iga Świątek in the semifinal of the French Open followed by Navarro ousting her at Wimbledon. She then had a quick exit at the Paris Olympics, falling 7-6, 6-2 to Croatia’s Donna Vekić, before failing to defend her US Open crown.
Meanwhile, it was an emotional victory for New York City native Navarro who is rapidly making a name for herself. She currently has the fourth-best odds to win the U.S. Open at +1000.
