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PARIS — Coco Gauff’s attempt to defend her French Open crown was cut short in the third round, as she succumbed to Anastasia Potapova with scores of 4-6, 7-6 (1), 6-4 on Saturday.
Facing the 30th-seeded Potapova, Gauff encountered a formidable opponent capable of matching her stamina and skill in extended baseline exchanges.
The match unfolded in front of largely vacant seats at Court Philippe-Chatrier, as local fans opted to tune into the Champions League soccer final instead.
Gauff’s impressive journey last year culminated in her second Grand Slam victory, where she triumphed over the then top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka in the final showdown.
Potapova, a Russian-born athlete now representing Austria, has now edged ahead in her head-to-head with Gauff, holding a 3-2 advantage. Her performance on clay this season has been noteworthy, with her reaching the final in Linz, Austria, and advancing to the semifinals of the Madrid Open as a qualifier.
The fourth-ranked Gauff was coming off a run to the Italian Open final.