A fix did not arrive for Coco Gauff! From the outset, things weren’t going well for Gauff. The American tennis star found herself in deep trouble during her match against Wimbledon breakout star Emma Navarro on Centre Court this Sunday. Navarro’s strategic play and relentless energy had Gauff on the back foot, and it was clear she was struggling to find her rhythm. As the tension mounted and points slipped away, Gauff’s frustration was palpable, especially with the heated exchange she had with her coach, Brad Gilbert.

Coco Gauff was eyeing a better feat at Wimbledon this year. However, to her dismay, the World No. 19 Emma Navarro pulled out a sensational win against her in straight sets, 6-4, 6-3, in the fourth round. Gauff, who was by far one of the most experienced players left since the beginning of the fourth round of Wimbledon, was seen dejected as she was completely overpowered by her compatriot and old friend, Navarro.

The first set of the match began with the World No. 2 making the first entry to the scoreboard. But Navarro immediately canceled out the advantage and held her serve to gain two more break points. While Gauff struggled to gain points in the first set, Navarro outshined her to win the first set. The 20-year-old’s struggle continued in the second set as well. Going 1-4 down in the second set, Gauff was seen frustrated and helpless as she shouted at her box in anger.

Looking towards her box in the second set, Coco Gauff wanted some help. “Tell me something. You guys aren’t saying anything,” the reigning US Open winner shouted in frustration. While a puzzled Brad Gilbert was observed giving her new tactics through gestures, it didn’t work out eventually. Gauff’s frustration was clearly depicted by the errors she made in the match.

The World No. 2 made at least 25 unforced errors in her match against Emma Navarro. She was constantly spraying errors and hit various shots that resulted in three double faults during the match. Navarro and Gauff had matching six backhand unforced errors, but Gauff fired 16 unforced errors from the forehand side. Gauff admitted to these challenges in the post-match conference.

Speaking about seeking help from her box, Gauff remarked, “We had a game plan going in, and I felt that it wasn’t working. I don’t always ask for advice from the box, but today was one of those moments where I felt like I didn’t have solutions.” Continuing further, she revealed the mental energy she put into the game. “Mentally it was a lot going on, and I felt like I wanted more direction.” Emma Navarro, on the other hand, is excited to keep playing some mental games on the court.

‘I’m excited to…’ Emma Navarro’s sensational admission about playing mental games with Coco Gauff

Despite defeating her fierce rival in straight sets and avenging the defeat she faced in Auckland, Emma Navarro was full of praise for her opponent. She praised her skills and the mental toughness that the World No. 2 depicted on the court.

After winning the match, Navarro said, “Feeling really good. Played some good tennis today, for sure. Faced a really tough opponent, a Grand Slam champ. … I’m excited to keep playing. Navarro disclosed her strategy further, saying, “I really wanted to attack her forehand. I think she wanted to do the same to me.”

“I love matches like that where it feels like it’s not just a hitting or striking competition, there’s strategy involved. It feels like a chess match or something. That was really enjoyable for me.” For the American, who is now scheduled to face the French Open finalist Jasmine Paolini in the next round, it will be interesting to see if she can pull out more surprises in her Wimbledon campaign.