Reigning champion Coco Gauff's French Open title defence came to an end in the third round on Saturday as top seed Aryna Sabalenka and Naomi Osaka both won to set up a blockbuster last-16 clash.
Gauff went down 4-6, 7-6 (7/1), 6-4 to Austrian 28th seed Anastasia Potapova as the top seeds continued to fall right up to the close of a scorching opening week at Roland Garros.
The 22-year-old fourth seed had been a break up in the deciding set before Potapova put together a run of five games for the loss of just one to condemn Gauff to her earliest Roland Garros exit since her debut in Paris six years ago.
The two-time major winner insisted being the reigning champion had not affected her play, unlike in 2024 when she was defending her title in New York.
"I think at the US Open it did a lot more but honestly this time it didn't. I wasn't really nervous," Gauff said.
