Coco Gauff Offers Personal Solution After Wimbledon Disappointment

Coco Gauff Offers Personal Solution After Wimbledon Disappointment originally appeared on Athlon Sports.

American tennis star Coco Gauff says she felt “mentally overwhelmed” after winning the French Open and knows she must make changes if she wants to succeed at Wimbledon in the future.

On Tuesday, Gauff suffered a shock defeat in the first round at the All England Club. She lost 7-6 (3), 6-1 to Ukraine’s Dayana Yastremska, ending her hopes of a deep run at the grass-court major.

“Mentally, I was a bit overwhelmed with everything that came after [Roland-Garros]. I didn’t feel like I had enough time to celebrate and also get back into it,” Gauff explained after her match.

Gauff, who is ranked No. 2 in the world, struggled with her serve and made 29 unforced errors. She hit nine double-faults, which made it difficult for her to handle Yastremska’s fast and powerful shots.

“I could have used more matches on grass. If it comes around again, I’ll do it differently. I definitely need to make changes if I want to be successful here,” Gauff said.

Before the tournament, Gauff spoke about how special Wimbledon is for her. In 2019, at just 15 years old, she reached the fourth round and became one of the sport’s rising stars.

But since that big moment, she has not advanced past the fourth round at Wimbledon in any of her six appearances.

This year, her Wimbledon hopes ended quickly. Yastremska took control of the match in 78 minutes, leaving Gauff to think about what she might do differently next year.

Gauff shared that she only practiced on grass for two days before Wimbledon began. She usually avoids playing tournaments the week before a major because it’s a fast turnaround. Now, she’s considering a new approach.

“It’s like finding the puzzle,” she said. “Trying to learn if it’s better to train more or maybe play Bad Homburg or Eastbourne.”

Despite her disappointment, Gauff refused to blame her defeat entirely on her own schedule. She praised Yastremska’s aggressive play. “I felt like I wasn’t playing terribly in some points, and she was hitting winners,” she admitted.

For now, she’s focused on recovering, training and finding the right balance so she can return stronger and less overwhelmed the next time Wimbledon comes around.

Related: WTA Star Coco Gauff Makes LeBron James Admission Amid French Open

This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 3, 2025, where it first appeared.