Cincinnati Open: Defending champion Coco Gauff loses in first round of final tournament before US Open

(CNN) — Coco Gauff’s defense of her Cincinnati Open title didn’t get past the first round as the American was surprisingly defeated 6-4 2-6 6-4 by Yulia Putintseva.

The world No. 34 was trailing 2-4 in the final set, but won four straight games to see out the match in spectacular fashion and claim her first career win over Gauff.

The American world No. 2, who only reached the second round of the Canadian Open last week, hit nine double faults in an error-strewn performance.

“I think the level of the game was high, especially for those conditions,” Putintseva said, per the WTA. “The courts are lightning fast, so I’m pretty happy to get through.

“The whole match was a roller coaster. At this point, I was thinking I broke her a couple of times and it was not something special to break someone again. She hit two double faults, and I hit two good returns. She mishit it, the game changed immediately.

“On these kinds of courts, you have to stay really focused because the game can change quickly.”

Putintseva will face Spain’s Paula Badosa in the next round.

Gauff heads into the US Open, which begins on August 26, as the defending champion after winning the first grand slam title of her career last year on home soil.

The 20-year-old recently represented Team USA at the Olympics in Paris, losing to Croatia’s eventual silver medalist Donna Vekić in the third round.

Elsewhere, 2021 US Open runner-up Leylah Fernandez caused another upset as she shocked fourth seed Elena Rybakina, winning 3-6 7-6(3) 6-4.

Fernandez, who lost in the 2021 US Open final to Emma Raducanu, has steadily risen through the rankings over the last year and is now the world No. 26.

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