Delray Beach resident Coco Gauff’s journey at the French Open came to an early end as she faced a tough opponent in Anastasia Potapova. The American tennis player, who won the French Open last year, was defeated in the third round by Potapova with scores of 4-6, 7-6 (1), 6-4.

Despite the loss, Gauff showed resilience on the court, matching Potapova in long baseline rallies. Potapova, who now represents Austria, expressed her respect for Gauff, stating, “Coco is such a champion. I respect her so much.” The match was held in front of a sparse crowd at Court Philippe-Chatrier, as many fans opted to watch the Champions League soccer final instead.

Gauff, ranked fourth, was coming off a strong performance at the Italian Open, where she reached the final. However, Potapova, ranked 30th, has been having a successful clay season, reaching the final in Linz, Austria, and the semifinals of the Madrid Open.

After the match, Gauff quickly exited the court, having run a total of 2,309 meters compared to Potapova’s 2,090. The match statistics showed that Gauff had fewer double-faults and unforced errors than Potapova, but Potapova controlled the longer rallies, which proved decisive.

Other Highlights from the French Open

In other matches, Naomi Osaka advanced to the round of 16 after defeating Iva Jovic in a three-hour match. Osaka, known for her unique fashion choices, wore a metallic gold bomber jacket and sequined dress during her match.

The tournament has been marked by hot and humid conditions, with temperatures reaching 93 degrees Fahrenheit. The heat is expected to subside as the tournament progresses into its second week.

Original reporting: WPBF West Palm Beach — read the source article.