Gauff Falls as Navarro Progresses to Wimbledon Quarterfinals

Coco Gauff's journey at Wimbledon ended in the fourth round once again on Sunday, as she was defeated by Emma Navarro 6-4, 6-3 in an all-American clash.

This year has seen several top-seeded women exit the tournament early at the All England Club: No. 1 Iga Swiatek was ousted on Saturday, No. 3 Aryna Sabalenka withdrew before her first match, and No. 6 Marketa Vondrousova was defeated in the first round.

Only two of the top 10 seeded women remain: 2022 champion Elena Rybakina, seeded No. 4, and recent French Open runner-up Jasmine Paolini, seeded No. 7.

The No. 2-seeded Gauff, a 20-year-old from Florida, is the reigning U.S. Open champion. She has also been the runner-up at the French Open and reached the semifinals at the Australian Open.

Gauff's initial breakthrough at Wimbledon came at age 15, when she became the youngest qualifier in tournament history and defeated Venus Williams in the first round, reaching the fourth round. However, she has not surpassed that result since. She also reached the fourth round in 2021, lost in the third round in 2022, and was eliminated in the first round last year.

The 19th-seeded Navarro, a 23-year-old from South Carolina who won an NCAA title for Virginia, has reached the quarterfinals of a Grand Slam tournament for the first time.

Navarro showcased her capabilities in the second round by defeating four-time major champion Naomi Osaka.

On Sunday, Gauff struggled with errors, finishing the match with 25 unforced errors compared to 12 winners. She frequently glanced up at her guest box on Centre Court, where her coach Brad Gilbert often stood with his hands on his hips.