Defending champion Coco Gauff stunned by Yulia Putintseva in Cincinnati opener

The 20-year-old dropped to 1-2 across the North American hard-court swing ahead of her US Open title defense.

CINCINNATI—Defending champion Coco Gauff was stunned in three sets by Yulia Putintseva in the second round of the Cincinnati Open 6-4, 2-6, 6-4, the latest upset in a day full of surprises at the Lindner Family Tennis Center.

A year ago, these courts proved to be the site of her career breakthrough, backing up a huge win over world No. 1 Iga Swiatek in the semifinals to capture her biggest title. That result became a springboard, with Gauff going on to capture even bigger hardware at the end of the summer with the 2023 US Open title.

Now, the 20-year-old American is left seeking answers after a disappointing build-up to her biggest title defense; the 20-year-old is now 1-2 across the North American hard-court swing, with her lone victory coming in Toronto over Wang Yafan.

“It was not the best match for me,” said Gauff, who declined a post-match press conference but gave her comments via an interview with the WTA Tour. “I made a lot of errors, especially when I was up 4-2 (in the third). I think most of the points she won were off my errors.

“She’s always a tricky opponent to play. She mixes up the ball. She has drop shots, slice. She’s kind of someone that makes you earn the match.”