Coco Gauff Shocked at French Open as Potapova Stages Comeback
Defending champion Coco Gauff faced an unexpected exit from the French Open on Saturday. She was defeated by Anastasia Potapova, who came back from a set down to secure a stunning 4-6, 7-6(1), 6-4 victory during the third round at Roland Garros.
Just under a year after claiming the Coupe Suzanne Lenglen on Court Philippe-Chatrier, Gauff left the same arena without her title. Potapova, who has shown remarkable improvement this clay season, delivered a strong performance in crucial moments, marking one of the tournament’s biggest surprises.
Gauff started strong, battling back from an early 2-4 deficit in the first set. She won four games in a row, taking the set and appearing to gain control of the match.
However, everything changed in the second set. Potapova quickly took a 5-1 lead and had two chances to serve for the set. But Gauff staged another comeback, winning five consecutive games. With Potapova serving at 5-6, Gauff was just two points away from victory, but Potapova held her ground. The tiebreaker saw errors creep into Gauff’s play, giving Potapova a 7-1 win.
In the final set, Gauff raced to a 3-1 lead, but Potapova rallied, refusing to back down. The turning point came when Gauff was serving at 4-5. A double fault and a poorly placed drop shot offered Potapova a match point, and soon after, Gauff’s forehand sent the ball into the stands, ending her hopes for a second French Open title.
This loss wrapped up a challenging clay-court season for Gauff, who faced some health issues and an early exit in Madrid, though she did finish as the runner-up in Rome. Meanwhile, Potapova continued her impressive performance, moving on to the fourth round.
Parry Shines Bright in Home Crowd
While Gauff’s defeat surprised many, home crowd favorite Diane Parry provided a reason for celebration. The 23-year-old became the last Frenchwoman standing in the women’s singles after fighting hard to beat sixth seed Amanda Anisimova with a score of 6-3, 4-6, 7-6(3), marking her first time reaching the fourth round of a Grand Slam.
Ranked 92nd in the world, Parry initially struggled, finding herself down 1-3 in the first set before winning five games in a row. Anisimova, a former Grand Slam finalist and Roland Garros semi-finalist, pushed back to win the second set, leading to a tense final set.
Parry broke Anisimova’s serve for a 4-3 lead, but Anisimova quickly broke back, setting up a dramatic finish. Cheered on by the home crowd, Parry stepped up her game in the tiebreak, taking control early and securing victory on her first match point after a thrilling two hours and 44 minutes.
As the crowd chanted and waved flags in joy, Parry soaked in the moment, celebrating her progress to the second week of a Grand Slam—much to the delight of her supporters on another exciting day at Roland Garros.
