Reigning French Open champion Coco Gauff lost in three sets to Austrian Anastasia Potapova to end her Roland Garros title defence on Saturday.
The two-time Grand Slam winner was defeated in the third round 4-6, 7-6 (7/1), 6-4 by the 28th seed after being a break up in the deciding set.
Gauff insisted afterwards that being the defending champion had not affected her play, unlike in 2024 when she went into the US Open as the title-holder.
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“I think at the US Open it did a lot more but honestly this time it didn’t. I wasn’t really nervous,” fourth-seed Gauff told reporters.
“That’s what’s more frustrating because I felt like I learned a lot from that US Open experience and I’m a better player since then and I just don’t think I portrayed that today.”
Despite losing her first service game to open the match, Gauff struck back to break the Russian-born Austrian in the eighth and 10th games and take the lead.
Potapova responded with two consecutive breaks of her own to race 3-0 ahead at the start of the second frame.
The 25-year-old’s serve then deserted her as well, as the next five games all produced breaks, with Potapova passing up two set points behind her own delivery.
Gauff responded to that reprieve by earning her first hold of the set to force Potapova to serve again for the frame.
The two-time major winner broke the world number 30 to level at 5-5 before holding again.
But Potapova then refound her own serve to force a tie-break. A double fault dropped Gauff 5-0 behind, before she finally got on the board when Potapova overcooked a backhand.
It was too little, too late, however, as the Austrian powered to the next two points and sent the match into a deciding set.
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Gauff drew first blood in the decider, pouncing on Potapova’s serve in the third game to nose in front, before being pegged back to 3-3.
A double fault in the next game brought Gauff two break-back points, but gutsy play allowed Potapova to hold.
A booming backhand winner down the line and a miss-hit Gauff forehand from deuce put Potapova 5-4 ahead with the world number four serving to keep her title defence alive.
But from 30-0, Gauff quickly unravelled and Potapova fell on her back in celebration as the American returned long and departed the tournament.
“I think I’ve had a few (big wins) before, but I’d put it top three for sure,” Potapova said on court after earning a career third win over Gauff.
Potapova said the secret to victory for her was ignoring the score.
“I kept on saying to myself that I don’t need to focus on the scoreboard, just focus on every point,” she said.
“If you manage to do that, then maybe I will get my chances to win. So, yeah, the key was just stay in the moment no matter what is going on and try your best.”
Potapova will meet Russian 22nd seed Anna Kalinskaya for a spot in the quarter-finals
Sixth-seed Amanda Anisimova also departed as the American fell in a third-set tie-break to France’s Diane Parry.
Earlier, world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka beat Australia’s Daria Kasatkina 6-0, 7-5 in just 76 minutes to stamp her ticket to the fourth round.
After racing through the first set, Sabalenka went an early break down to her 53rd-ranked opponent before battling back.
The Belarusian set up a meeting with her fellow quadruple major winner, Osaka.
Sabalenka and Osaka, both 28, have won two Australian Opens and two US Opens apiece.
Sabalenka has beaten Osaka twice this season, but Osaka won their only meeting at a major — at the same stage in the 2018 US Open, the first of her major titles.
“I’m just ready for the fight,” Sabalenka said of facing Osaka.
“I’m ready to go out there to fight for that match, for that win. Ready to do anything it takes to get the win.”
The Japanese 16th seed battled past American 18-year-old Iva Jovic 7-6 (7/5), 6-7 (3/7), 6-4 to progress.
“I was a lot calmer than in my first matches… In a Slam the further I get the calmer I am. It such an honour to be here. It’s the furthest I have ever been here,” Osaka, who had never before gone past the last 32 at Roland Garros, said.
With the men’s side of the draw wide open following the shock early exits of top seed Jannik Sinner and 24-time major winner Novak Djokovic, Flavio Cobolli laid down a marker with an emphatic victory over Learner Tien.
The Italian 10th seed beat the American 6-2, 6-2, 6-3 in one hour and 45 minutes.
“I know that… for sure we (will) have a new Grand Slam champion, but I don’t want to think about this,” Cobolli said.
“For sure I have now another tough match.”
Cobolli will next meet Zachary Svajda with a spot in the quarter-finals on the line.
American world number 85 Svajda upset 25th seed Francisco Cerundolo to continue his best ever run at a Grand Slam.
Cerundolo’s brother, Juan Manuel who beat Sinner in the last round in five sets, emerged victorious from an epic five-setter that clocked in at two minutes shy of six hours against Martin Landaluce.
He will face Matteo Berrettini, who will be marginally fresher than the 24-year-old after spending only five hours and 13 minutes on court for his 7-6 (7/3), 5-7, 6-7 (4/7), 6-4, 7-6 (15/13) win over Francisco Comesana.
The fairytale run of French 17-year-old Moise Kouame came to an end as he went down in four sets to Chile’s Alejandro Tabilo.
Later Saturday, Canadian fourth seed Felix Auger-Aliassime meets Brandon Nakashima in the night session.