US' Coco Gauff tries to cool down with a bag of ice while playing Croatia's Donna Vekic during their women's singles third round tennis match on Court Philippe-Chatrier at the Roland-Garros Stadium during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, in Paris on July 30, 2024. (Photo by PATRICIA DE MELO MOREIRA / AFP) (Photo by PATRICIA DE MELO MOREIRA/AFP via Getty Images)

Coco Gauff suffers shock Olympics defeat

On July 31, 2024, 4:08 PM

American second seed Coco Gauff fell to a shock defeat against Croatia’s Donna Vekic in the third round of the women’s singles.

Gauff, 20, was among the favourites for a medal at the venue where she reached the French Open final in 2022.

The reigning US Open champion lost 7-6 (9-7) 6-2 against 28-year-old Vekic, who reached the Wimbledon final earlier this month, as she continued her recent renaissance.

German veteran Angelique Kerber – who announced on Friday she will retire after the Games – continued her farewell with a 6-4 6-3 win over Canada’s Leylah Fernandez.

American Danielle Collins, another player quitting the sport later this year, is also through to the last 16.

Collins, who spoke in a BBC Sport column earlier this year about why she is retiring despite being in the world’s top 10, won 6-0 4-6 6-3 against Colombia’s Camila Osario.

Story By BBC