Coco Gauff Stunned in Wimbledon First Round by Unseeded Dayana Yastremska
Coco Gauff became just the third woman in the Open era to fall in the first round at Wimbledon immediately after winning the French Open championship. The world No. 2 was defeated 7-6 (3), 6-1 by unseeded Dayana Yastremska of Ukraine on Tuesday.
Gauff, who recently celebrated her second Grand Slam title after beating Aryna Sabalenka in Paris, struggled mightily on No. 1 Court. She tallied only six winners against a troubling 29 unforced errors, including nine double-faults. This early exit follows that of fellow American Jessica Pegula, the No. 3 seed, who was also ousted on Day 2.
“I was really on fire,” said Yastremska, who hit 16 winners. “Playing against Coco, it is something special.”
Just three weeks ago, Gauff lifted the trophy on the red clay of Roland-Garros. The 21-year-old also won the 2023 US Open. However, Wimbledon remains the only major where Gauff has never advanced past the semifinals. Despite a breakthrough as a 15-year-old in 2019—when she upset Venus Williams and reached the fourth round—grass courts have been her least successful Grand Slam surface.
Indeed, Gauff has now exited in the first round at Wimbledon twice in the past three years. The transition from clay to grass has long been a challenge, with Serena Williams the last woman to claim both the French Open and Wimbledon titles in the same season, a decade ago.
For more on Gauff’s Wimbledon campaign and reactions to Yastremska’s victory, visit Wimbledon.com and ESPN Tennis.
Upset alert Dayana Yastremska knocks out world No. 2 Coco Gauff in the Wimbledon first round. Grass proves tricky again for the French Open champ. pic.twitter.com/grassUpset
— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 2, 2025