PARIS (AFP) – Reigning French Open champion Coco Gauff lost in three sets to Austrian Anastasia Potapova to end her Roland Garros title defence on Saturday._x000D_
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The two-time Grand Slam winner was defeated in the third round 4-6, 7-6 (7/1), 6-4 by the 28th seed after being a break up in the deciding set._x000D_
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Gauff insisted afterwards that being the defending champion had not affected her play, unlike in 2024 when she went into the US Open as the title-holder._x000D_
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“I think at the US Open it did a lot more but honestly this time it didn’t. I wasn’t really nervous,” fourth seed Gauff told reporters._x000D_
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“That’s what’s more frustrating because I felt like I learned a lot from that US Open experience and I’m a better player since then and I just don’t think I portrayed that today.”_x000D_
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Despite losing her first service game to open the match, Gauff struck back to break the Russian-born Austrian in the eighth and 10th games and take the lead._x000D_
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Potapova responded with two consecutive breaks of her own to race 3-0 ahead at the start of the second frame._x000D_
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The 25-year-old’s serve then deserted her as well, as the next five games all produced breaks, with Potapova passing up two set points behind her own delivery._x000D_
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Gauff responded to that reprieve by earning her first hold of the set to force Potapova to serve again for the frame._x000D_
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The two-time major winner broke the world number 30 to level at 5-5 before holding again._x000D_
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But Potapova then refound her own serve to force a tie-break._x000D_
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A double fault dropped Gauff 5-0 behind, before she finally got on the board when Potapova overcooked a backhand._x000D_
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It was too little, too late, however, as the Austrian powered to the next two points and sent the match into a deciding set._x000D_
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‘Stay in the moment’_x000D_
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Gauff drew first blood in the decider, pouncing on Potapova’s serve in the third game to nose in front, before being pegged back to 3-3._x000D_
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A double fault in the next game brought Gauff two break-back points, but gutsy play allowed Potapova to hold._x000D_
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A booming backhand winner down the line and a miss-hit Gauff forehand from deuce put Potapova 5-4 ahead with the world number four serving to keep her title defence alive._x000D_
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But from 30-0, Gauff quickly unravelled and Potapova fell on her back in celebration as the American returned long and departed the tournament._x000D_
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“I think I’ve had a few (big wins) before, but I’d put it top three for sure,” Potapova said on court after earning a career third win over Gauff._x000D_
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Potapova said the secret to victory for her was ignoring the score._x000D_
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“I kept on saying to myself that I don’t need to focus on the scoreboard, just focus on every point,” she said._x000D_
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“If you manage to do that, then maybe I will get my chances to win. So, yeah, the key was just stay in the moment no matter what is going on and try your best._x000D_
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Potapova will meet Russian 22nd seed Anna Kalinskaya for a spot in the quarter-finals.
