When Coco Gauff won the 2023 US Open, she collapsed onto the hard court with tears in her eyes. It was her first-ever Grand Slam, and that too in front of the home crowd. She had defeated Aryna Sabalenka to claim her fourth win against the Belarusian. Fast forward to June this year and the American achieved another major milestone – snatching the No. 2 spot from Saba. But Gauff’s latest performances have put her in a precarious position.

Following a horrible Paris Olympics campaign, where Gauff didn’t medal in any of the three categories, she arrived home with bigger hopes of defending her US Open title. But so far all the 20-year-old has managed to do is exit in the first two rounds in the first two tournaments since Paris. Her ranking is in danger too, as the Live WTA Rankings have already pushed Sabalenka with 7136 points back up to No. 2. If this slump continues, Gauff with 6743 points is in danger of moving lower, although she might still stay in the top 5.

The latest blow came from Yulia Putintseva, who chased Gauff out of Cincinnati with a 6-4, 2-6, 6-4 win. Interestingly, Gauff was also defending her 2023 title at the Western and Southern Open. But a little more than a week out from the US Open, the young WTA star’s chances look abysmal. The 3000 ranking points she has to defend from last year suddenly look like a major task. Instead, Sabalenka, who has been out of commission lately, has better chances.

A shoulder injury prevented the Belarusian from playing at Wimbledon and she also skipped the Olympics. But she’s returned for the North American hard court swing in a flare, ready to challenge Iga Swiatek should their paths cross. Interestingly, Gauff was the one to dispatch the World No. 1 last year in Cincinnati in her sole victory out of 12 matches played. But with the American out in a rather shocking first-round exit and Swiatek in the quarter-finals in 2024, the tables have turned.

But do rankings and numbers interest Gauff? Not always but a recent worrying pattern shows her having lost not one but four matches to players outside the top 50. “Yeah, it’s definitely difficult. I feel like a lot of times people play their best tennis against the higher-ranked players, and that’s just because they have nothing to lose, so it’s definitely a difference. Yeah, but I think overall it just makes me better. If everybody’s playing me at their high level it can only make me better,” Gauff said when asked about playing against higher-ranked players.

Gauff does have something impressive in her portfolio right now – spending her 100th career week in the Top 10 of the WTA rankings this week, in the fourth-longest active streak in the WTA. And while she’s more focused on results than ranks, the young American does not tolerate disrespect towards lower-ranked players either.

“They deserve their spot” – Coco Gauff shuts down ranking debate at Wimbledon

The Grass Slam was a tough time for Coco Gauff, despite making it as one of only two top 10 players left in the bottom half of the draw. And while seeding allows players to skip the early rounds of the game, the 20-year-old believes that at Grand Slams, anything can happen.

“The seed is just a number. It’s just an advantage so you don’t play another seed first round. It doesn’t mean you can’t lose,” Gauff said after compatriot Emma Navarro defeated her in the fourth round. “I think that’s something that people… fans of the game are a little bit disrespectful when it comes to other players on tour. Maybe the ranking isn’t there. But the level is there. And they’re here for a reason. They deserve their spot. There’s no easy draw. There’s no cakewalk or anything. This is competitive sport. We all want to win.”

Well, the hard court season is underway and ready for the taking. While it may not be Gauff’s best surface yet, the reigning US Open champion has a lot of pressure to defend her title. But whatever quality or rank of players she comes across next, one thing is for sure – Coco Gauff will give it her all!