With the tournaments coming thick and fast, there is hardly any breathing space for the players. Ask Coco Gauff, who clinched her maiden French Open title recently. The American sensation defeated Aryna Sabalenka in a thrilling summit clash in Paris to win one of the biggest titles of her career. However, it looks like Gauff is still soaked in the memories of that win as she faced a harsh reality check ahead of the Wimbledon Championships.

The reigning Roland Garros champ began her grass court season on a poor note, as she was shocked by 49th-ranked Wang Xinyu at the Berlin Open. The tournament was due to serve as a crucial event for her Wimbledon preparations, but the American sensation fell tamely in straight sets, 6-3, 6-3, to have a major impact on her preparations for the grass-court Grand Slam tournament.

With this loss, Coco Gauff’s curse in Berlin continued as she failed to win the title here again. Gauff has never been able to lift the trophy in Berlin and lost in the semifinals last year against Jessica Pegula. On the other hand, it was the biggest career win for the 23-year-old Wang, who entered the main draw as a qualifier. Little did anyone know that she would break Gauff’s seven-match winning streak, which she achieved at the French Open.

Moreover, the Chinese star was overjoyed after defeating Coco Gauff and couldn’t control her emotions. She said, “After I won the first set, I told myself, ‘Let’s take a minute and enjoy this… I won the first set against the French Open champion. I was really happy with how I played today. I was serving good. I was putting pressure on her second serve with my return. It was a tough match, [but] I’m happy that I hung in there in the tough moments. I’m really happy to get through today.”

However, Gauff isn’t the first big opponent that she defeated in this tournament. Earlier, she also knocked out the likes of Ons Jabeur and Daria Kasatkina before defeating Gauff. Meanwhile, this was another blow to Gauff’s Wimbledon hopes. Earlier, former British No. 1 Laura Robson played down Gauff’s chances in the upcoming major event.

Laura Robson snubs Coco Gauff for Aryna Sabalenka

Going by her French Open form, many considered the American sensation a firm favorite for Wimbledon. However, Robson had other thoughts and instead named Sabalenka as the tournament’s hot favorite. Gauff’s best run at Wimbledon has just been a fourth-round appearance, and this is something that Gauff has to be wary of, according to Robson.

During an interview, she said, “I don’t know who is favorite in the women’s Wimbledon event. I would probably say Sabalenka because she’s done well there in the past but for Coco it’s been a surface which hasn’t quite given her the results that the other Slams have. Even though Gauff has made the fourth round three times, there’s not been that standout result, I’d say, so I think that leaves it quite open for some new faces to come in.”

However, Coco Gauff would look to change that narrative and past results as she looks to clinch her maiden Wimbledon title. For that, she would have to work on her grass court game during practice sessions, now that her run in Berlin has come to an abrupt end.