Coco Gauff, a clay court enthusiast, faced a tough start at the Madrid Open, losing the first set 6-0 to Dayana Yastremska. Her serve faltered dramatically, with only 29% of first serves landing and just 25% of second-serve points won. Despite two double faults, Gauff’s delivery lacked consistency, winning only five service points and 13 total points in the set.
Visibly frustrated, Gauff sought inspiration from her player box but found little support. Yet, she staged a remarkable comeback, winning the second set 6-2 and battling through a chaotic third set to secure a 0-6, 6-2, 6-3 victory.
Gauff’s third-set performance was marked by exchanges of breaks and vocal frustration toward her team, with commentators noting their silence may have been strategic amid her erratic play. “I had to fight hard,” Gauff said post-match. “Dayana played great in the first set, so I did well to hang in there.”
In her pre-tournament press conference, Gauff discussed her struggle with perfectionism. “I strive for perfection, which can be both good and bad,” she said. “It’s about finding balance in a long season. I believe I can win every tournament, but I’m learning to take positives from losses.”
Gauff’s win sets up a match against American Ann Li, who upset No. 25 seed Leylah Fernandez 6-4, 3-6, 6-4.
Elsewhere, Jelena Ostapenko, fresh off her Stuttgart Open title, suffered a shock first-round loss to Anastasija Sevastova, who is returning from maternity leave and a knee injury.
