Potapova Ousts Defending Champion Gauff 4-6 7-6(1) 6-4 to Reach First French Open Last 16
Updated
Updated · BBC.com · May 30
Potapova Ousts Defending Champion Gauff 4-6 7-6(1) 6-4 to Reach First French Open Last 16
16 articles · Updated · BBC.com · May 30
Anastasia Potapova rallied past fourth seed Coco Gauff 4-6 7-6(1) 6-4 in the third round, knocking out the defending champion and reaching the Roland Garros last 16 for the first time.
Potapova's deep, stubborn defense repeatedly drew errors from Gauff, who let a 5-2 second-set deficit vanish but unraveled in the tie-break and again in key moments of the decider.
The 25-year-old Austrian said she was cramping and clutching her shoulder after the bruising match, but will next face 22nd seed Anna Kalinskaya, who beat Camila Osorio 6-3 0-6 6-2.
Gauff, champion in Paris last year, arrived without a 2026 title and said she was practicing well but failing to translate that form when momentum swung her way.
The upset adds to a volatile first week in Paris after exits by Jannik Sinner and Novak Djokovic, and guarantees one of Potapova, Kalinskaya, Diane Parry or Maja Chwalinska a first French Open semi-final.
As historic upsets rewrite the script at Roland Garros, who can conquer the chaotic men's and women's draws?
What do Gauff's struggles reveal about the hidden mental toll on today's elite athletes?
With tennis legends falling, is this French Open signaling a permanent power shift in the sport?