Coco Gauff has continued her frustrating run of form with another shock exit, this time in the Dubai Tennis Championships round of 32.
Off the court, Gauff wants to learn more about the doping process, with fellow professional Jannik Sinner having just been banned for three months for two failed drugs tests.
But on the court, the American is struggling to find her feet in 2025, with Gauff having really shone in 2024.
The WTA number three fell in the quarter-finals of the Australian Open, suffering a shock loss to Paula Badosa.
Two more hugely surprising results have taken place regarding Gauff since then, with the 20-year-old failing to go far in Qatar and Dubai.
Coco Gauff loses to player outside top 50 for first time since Wimbledon 2023
She lost to Marta Kostyuk in the Qatar Open round of 32, and has now fallen at that stage in Dubai to compatriot McCartney Kessler.
The 6-4, 7-5 victory represents Kessler’s first victory against a top-five player, with the American having just knocked out another compatriot in Amanda Anisimova in the round of 64.
READ MORE: Mirra Andreeva breaks Coco Gauff record after her first round win at the Dubai Tennis Championships
She takes on Karolina Muchova in the round of 16, while Gauff has now lost to a player ranked outside the top 50 for the first time since Wimbledon 2023, where she was beaten by Sofia Kenin, as per Christian’s Court.
Gauff was the seventh seed at the All England Club that year, with Kenin winning their clash 6-4, 4-6, 6-2 after making it through qualifying.
American women’s tennis in superb place despite Coco Gauff struggles
It is, of course, worth noting that Gauff is still only 20 years old, and still has a long way to go in her superb career so far.
But such defeats are always going to grab plenty of attention given the very high standards she has set thus far.
Despite her youth, the American has already reached number two in the WTA rankings, having won the 2023 US Open and the 2024 WTA Finals.
Kessler meanwhile deserves huge credit, with the victor looking to continue a strong run of form for American women.
She may have knocked out both Gauff and Animisova, but American women’s tennis is in a great place right now.
Gauff, Jessica Pegula, Madison Keys and Emma Navarro all find themselves in the top 10, with Keys having won the Australian Open last month.
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