PARIS: Reigning French Open champion Coco Gauff lost in three sets to Austrian Anastasia Potapova to end to her Roland Garros title defence on Saturday.

The fourth seed 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.

“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.

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 winnerbroke 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.

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.

Potapova will meet Russian 22nd seed Anna Kalinskaya for a spot in the quarter-finals.

Earlier on Saturday, Naomi Osaka continued to shine in the City of Light as she beat American teenager Iva Jovic 7-6(7/5), 6-7(3/7), 6-4 to set up a last-16 clash against world number one Aryna Sabalenka.

Sabalenka eased past Daria Kasatkina 6-0, 7-5 to continue her pursuit of a first French Open title.The clash between Osaka and Sabalenka could tempt the event organisers, who have been criticised for only scheduling men in the marquee late slots, to put a woman’s match on at night.

Meanwhile, The Belarusian top seed Sabalenka ripped through the first set in 29 minutes and faced resistance in the second but completed the win in one hour and 17 minutes, and become the ninth woman to win 100 matches while ranked No.1.

Osaka won their only meeting at a major, at the same stage in the 2018 US Open. Since then they had not met again until two encounters this season — both won by Sabalenka at Indian Wells and Madrid.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian Oleksandra Oliynykova, who in the build-up to her third-round match accused her Russian opponent Diana Shnaider of “taking money” from a “company financing war crimes” and of liking social media posts by “propagandists”, lost 7-5, 6-1.

In the men’s section, Flavio Cobolli laid down a marker with an emphatic 6-2, 6-2, 6-3 victory over Learner Tien.

Cobolli will next meet Zachary Svajda, who beat Francisco Cerundolo, with a spot in the quarters on the line.

DJOKOVIC OUSTED

In Friday’s late match, Brazilian teenager Joao Fonseca knocked Novak Djokovic out in the third round to scupper the Serbian great’s latest quest for a record 25th Grand Slam.

Fonseca, 19, rallied from two sets down for the second straight match to stun the 39-year-old Djokovic with a phenomenal display of power-hitting.

Fonseca triumphed 4-6, 4-6, 6-3, 7-5, 7-5 after four hours and 53 minutes to make the last 16 of a major for the first time.

Djokovic’s exit comes a day after the shock elimination of world number one Jannik Sinner.

It means there will be a first-time men’s Grand Slam champion this year at the French Open, ending a run of nine successive majors won by Sinner or Carlos Alcaraz.

“What an incredible match to be part of,” said Djokovic, who had led by a break early in the final set but was unable to see it through. “Huge credit to Joao for really deserving to win the match. Without a doubt he was the better player in crucial moments.”

Published in Dawn, May 31st, 2026