World No. 2 Coco Gauff faced a stunning first-round exit at Wimbledon 2025, falling 7-6(3), 6-1 to unseeded Ukrainian Dayana Yastremska on No. 1 Court Tuesday night. The defeat, marked by nine double-faults and 29 unforced errors, ended Gauff’s hopes of a “full-circle moment” at the tournament where she burst onto the scene in 2019 at age 15, reaching the fourth round after beating Venus Williams.
Speaking to the Associated Press before the tournament, Gauff reminisced about her 2019 Wimbledon run, saying, “It felt like a dream... It fueled the belief I can live out my dream.” She expressed a desire to win Wimbledon for its sentimental value, but her grass-court struggles persisted. Yastremska, ranked No. 42, capitalized on Gauff’s shaky serve and erratic play, dominating with crisp groundstrokes. “Dayana started off playing strong,” Gauff said post-match. “I couldn’t find my footing out there today.”
The loss makes Gauff only the third woman in the Open Era to exit Wimbledon’s first round after winning the French Open, following Justine Henin (2005) and Francesca Schiavone (2010). Her recent Roland Garros triumph over Aryna Sabalenka, securing her second Grand Slam title, amplified expectations, but the quick shift from clay to grass proved challenging. “I was a little bit overwhelmed with everything that came after,” Gauff admitted, citing the emotional toll of her Paris victory and limited grass-court preparation.
Gauff’s Wimbledon record remains her weakest among majors, with no finish beyond the fourth round. Yastremska, who reached the 2024 Australian Open semifinals and a grass-court final in Nottingham this year, noted Gauff’s strength on clay and hard courts but exploited her discomfort on grass. “I was really on fire,” Yastremska said, crediting her recent grass-court success for her confidence.
Despite the disappointment, Gauff, tearful in her press conference, remained forward-looking. “I’m not going to dwell on this too long,” she said, already eyeing the North American hard-court season and the U.S. Open, where she won in 2023. “Maybe losing here isn’t the worst thing... I have time to reset.” With the women’s draw wide open after multiple upsets, including No. 3 Jessica Pegula’s exit, Gauff’s focus shifts to reclaiming her form on her favored hard courts.