Coco Gauff’s hopes of winning Wimbledon were dashed on Sunday when the No 2 seed was beaten in straight sets by compatriot Emma Navarro.
The American, seeded No 2 for The Championships, was beaten 6-4 6-3 by Navarro on Center Court, with the No 19 seed now into her first grand slam quarter final.
Gauff, who won her maiden major singles title at last year’s US Open, failed to capitalize on Iga Swiatek’s exit on Saturday. Gauff was beaten in just an hour and 14 minutes.
While her first big breakthrough came at the All England Club at age 15, when she became the youngest qualifier in tournament history and beat Venus Williams in the first round en route to getting to the fourth, Gauff never has bettered that result.
She also exited in the fourth round in her next appearance, in 2021, then lost in the third round in 2022 and the first round a year ago.
Second seed Coco Gauff suffered a fourth round exit at Wimbledon for the third time
Emma Navarro came through in straight sets to reach her maiden Wimbledon quarter-final
Gauff was unable to capitalise on top seed Iga Swiatek’s elimination from Wimbledon on Saturday
The 19th-seeded Navarro, a 23-year-old who grew up in South Carolina and won an NCAA title for Virginia, reached the quarterfinals at a Grand Slam tournament for the first time.
Gauff kept making mistakes Sunday and would look up at her Centre Court guest box, where one of her two coaches, Brad Gilbert, often stood with his hands on his hips.
Her exit saw the women’s singles draw creak even wider open.
The top three women’s seeds are all out, as well as both of last year’s finalists.
That leaves 2022 champion Elena Rybakina as a clear favourite to win her second Venus Rosewater dish on Saturday.
Rybakina is one of only two top-10 seeds remaining in the women’s singles draw.
French Open runner-up Jasmine Paolini, who is seeded seventh, will face Navarro in the quarter-finals.