Huge Surprise: Potapova Knocks Out Gauff from Roland Garros

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Anastasia Potapova has just caused one of the big upsets at Roland Garros 2026 by defeating Coco Gauff in the third round with a score of 4-6, 7-6, and 6-4 after 2 hours and 37 minutes of play. The Austrian played at an incredible level to come back against the reigning champion of the tournament and create a commotion in the women's draw.

This means that Roland Garros will have a new champion this year, with Iga Swiatek and Aryna Sabalenka as the top favorites after Elena Rybakina and Coco Gauff were eliminated. Gauff, who was riding high on confidence after reaching the final at the WTA Rome, faltered under pressure at the crucial moment, failing to defend her title and losing a significant amount of points.

Gauff Strikes First

Before the match, it was evident that Potapova was a formidable opponent for a third-round clash, especially considering her performance on the clay court circuit. This was proven as she broke Gauff early on to take a 2-0 lead and send a message to the American. Potapova even had the opportunity to go up 5-2 with the serve, but Gauff managed to turn the tables by breaking back to level the score. In fact, Anastasia wouldn't win another game as Coco secured another break to take the first set 6-4.

The second set was a complete turnaround from the first, with a series of breaks due to the inconsistency in both players' game. Once again, Potapova struck first and did so more convincingly than in the initial set. She even managed to lead 3-0 with the serve, triggering a series of exchanges. Gauff broke, then Potapova reclaimed the lead, followed by another break by Gauff... A back-and-forth battle that saw the Austrian go up 5-2.

Potapova Keeps Her Composure and Achieves an Epic Comeback

In fact, Coco fought off two set points, mustering the strength to secure two consecutive breaks and push the second set to a tiebreak. However, Potapova displayed incredible mental strength, winning the tiebreak 7-1 to put the reigning champion in a tough spot, knowing she was up against a determined opponent.

The third set resembled the first more than the second, despite Gauff taking the lead with a service break to go 3-1 ahead. As expected, Potapova responded promptly, showing incredible courage to break back and level the score to 3-3. From that point on, both players held their serves until the crucial moment: 5-4 for Potapova with Gauff serving.

At that moment, the American player was a bundle of nerves, going from 30-0 to committing her first double fault of the match and making several unforced errors. This resulted in a 30-40 situation that Potapova capitalized on, forcing Gauff's mistake and knocking her out of the tournament in the third round. Anastasia fell to the ground, her eyes telling the whole story. However, she quickly grasped her right forearm, suggesting a possible injury, further magnifying her achievement. 

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Sorpresón mayúsculo: Potapova elimina a Gauff de Roland Garros