It’s hard to wrap your head around it, but Coco Gauff has a "Wimbledon problem." Just a few weeks after she finally conquered the red clay of Paris to win the 2025 French Open, she stepped onto the grass of London and… vanished. Honestly, if you were watching the first round of Wimbledon 2025 on July 1st, you probably saw one of the most baffling collapses in recent tennis history. The world number two, fresh off a Grand Slam title, was sent packing in straight sets.
So, who beat Coco Gauff at Wimbledon this time? It was Dayana Yastremska.
The Ukrainian world No. 42 didn't just win; she absolutely steamrolled Gauff 7-6(3), 6-1. It was a brutal, one-sided affair in the second set that left the crowd on No. 1 Court in a state of collective shock. But if you’ve been following Gauff’s career at the All England Club, you know this wasn't an isolated incident. There's a pattern here. From seasoned veterans to "ice girls" and heavy hitters, a specific group of players has found the blueprint to dismantle Gauff on the grass.
The 2025 Shock: Dayana Yastremska’s Power Play
Most people expected Gauff to cruise through the early rounds. Why wouldn’t they? She was the reigning Roland Garros champion. But Yastremska didn't get the memo.
The match was a tactical nightmare for Coco. Yastremska, who has always been known for her "high-risk, high-reward" style, decided that day to simply not miss. She targeted Gauff’s forehand relentlessly. We all know that’s the wing that tends to get shaky under pressure, and Yastremska exploited it like a surgeon.
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Gauff looked physically there but mentally elsewhere. She later admitted in a tearful press conference that the quick turnaround from the French Open was "overwhelming." She had only played one match in Berlin on grass before arriving at SW19, and it showed. She lacked the "grass legs" needed to defend against Yastremska’s flat, skidding shots. By the time the second set rolled around, Gauff’s serve had completely deserted her. She finished with nine double faults. Nine. On grass, that’s basically a forfeit.
The 2024 Heartbreak: Emma Navarro and the "Ice Girl" Composure
If 2025 was a power-hitting clinic, 2024 was a masterclass in frustration. In the Round of 16, Gauff faced fellow American Emma Navarro.
Navarro is nicknamed "Ice Girl" for a reason. She doesn't freak out. While Gauff was looking at her box, pleading with coach Brad Gilbert for a solution that wasn't coming, Navarro just kept hitting deep, heavy balls into the corners. It was a straight-sets dismissal: 6-4, 6-3.
What was weird about that match was how lost Coco looked. Usually, she can scrap and claw her way back into any match, but Navarro nullified her speed. She didn't let Gauff use her athleticism. Every time Coco tried to get aggressive, Navarro had a calm, measured response. It was the first time many fans realized that Gauff’s Wimbledon struggles weren't just about bad luck—they were about match-ups.
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The Growing List of "Coco Killers" at Wimbledon
It’s not just Yastremska and Navarro. If you look at the history books, Gauff’s record at the All England Club is surprisingly modest compared to her success at the US Open or French Open.
- Sofia Kenin (2023): This was another first-round exit. Kenin, a former major champ who had fallen off the radar, came out swinging and beat Gauff 6-4, 4-6, 6-2.
- Amanda Anisimova (2022): In the third round, Anisimova used her immense power to hit through Gauff’s defense.
- Angelique Kerber (2021): The veteran and former champion gave Coco a lesson in grass-court craftiness in the fourth round.
- Simona Halep (2019): Even in the year of "Coco-mania," when she beat Venus Williams as a 15-year-old, it was Halep who eventually ended the fairy tale.
Why Does Coco Struggle on Grass?
It feels wrong to say a player as good as Gauff "struggles" anywhere, but the stats don't lie. She has never made it past the fourth round at Wimbledon. Compare that to her winning the US Open and the French Open, and the gap is glaring.
The problem is technical. Grass rewards short backswings and flat shots. Gauff’s forehand has a long, loopy take-back that works wonders on clay because the ball bounces high and gives her time. On grass? The ball stays low. It skids. It gets into her hitting zone before she’s ready.
Then there’s the serve. When she’s tight, the toss goes astray, and the double faults pile up. In that 2025 loss to Yastremska, she was essentially giving away two points every service game. You can't win like that at this level.
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The Mental Toll of "The Quick Switch"
Tennis fans often forget how insane the calendar is. You spend months sliding on dirt in Europe, building up the endurance for the French Open. You win it. You celebrate for 48 hours. Then, you have to immediately change your entire movement style for grass.
Gauff admitted after her 2025 loss that she didn't feel like she had enough time to "reset." Being the number two seed carries a weight that's hard to describe. Every opponent plays the match of their life against you because they have nothing to lose. Yastremska played like she was possessed because, to her, beating the French Open champ was her "final."
How Coco Can Fix the Wimbledon Curse
If Gauff wants to lift the Venus Rosewater Dish, she basically has to reinvent her grass-court identity. It’s not about playing harder; it’s about playing smarter.
- Shorten the Stroke: She needs a dedicated grass-court swing for that forehand. If she keeps taking that big loop, the big hitters will keep rushing her.
- Schedule Adjustment: Skipping or playing more warm-ups? In 2025, she played Berlin and lost early. She might need more match toughness on the surface before hitting London.
- The Serve Safety Net: She needs a "B-game" serve. When the 120mph heater isn't landing, she needs a reliable kick or slice that doesn't result in a double fault.
The reality is that Coco Gauff is still incredibly young. Losing to players like Yastremska and Navarro is a "sucks in the moment" kind of experience, but it's also data. She now knows exactly what the rest of the tour is going to do to her on grass: attack the forehand, rush the serve, and don't let her run.
To take the next step, watch for her to potentially change her coaching focus during the brief grass swing next year. She has the athleticism to dominate on this surface, but until she fixes the mechanics that the likes of Yastremska exploited, the "who beat Coco Gauff" headlines will keep coming.
Actionable Insights for Following Gauff's Career:
- Watch the lead-up tournaments: Pay closer attention to her performance in Berlin or Eastbourne. If she’s struggling with double faults there, it’s a red flag for Wimbledon.
- Track the "Forehand Return" stats: Check how many return points she wins on the forehand side. If that number is low, she’s being moved out of her comfort zone.
- Monitor the draw: Look for "flat hitters" in her section of the bracket. Players like Yastremska or Mirra Andreeva who hit the ball low and hard are her biggest threats on grass.