Coco Gauff’s title defense at the Cincinnati Open came to an abrupt end in the second round, as she was upset by Yulia Putintseva in three sets, 6-4, 2-6, 6-4. The defeat marks a disappointing setback for Gauff, who was hoping to build momentum heading into her US Open title defense.
A year ago, Gauff made a breakthrough at the Cincinnati Open, defeating world No. 1 Iga Swiatek in the semifinals and capturing her biggest title to date. That victory propelled her to even greater heights, as she went on to win the 2023 US Open.
However, Gauff has struggled to find her form in the lead-up to this year’s Cincinnati Open. She is now 1-2 across the North American hard-court swing, with her lone victory coming in Toronto over Wang Yafan.
Putintseva, who had a 0-3 head-to-head record against Gauff going into their clash, played with determination and resilience. She broke Gauff’s serve in the first set and held on to win 6-4. Gauff responded strongly in the second set, breaking Putintseva’s serve twice to level the match.
But Putintseva regained her composure in the third set, breaking Gauff’s serve early and holding on to her own serve throughout the set. She eventually sealed the victory with a forehand winner, sending Gauff packing.
Putintseva will now face Washington DC champion Paula Badosa in the round of 16. Badosa, who toppled No. 13 seed Anna Kalinskaya 6-3, 6-2 earlier in the day, will be a tough opponent for Putintseva.
Gauff’s defeat is a reminder that even the best players can experience setbacks. She will now have to regroup and refocus her efforts on the US Open, where she will be aiming to defend her title.
