Ranking at risk: Gauff struggles in Canadian Open amid major points defense

Sunday, 11 August 2024 at 05:30

Coco Gauff could see her ranking drop as she navigates a challenging part of the season. The world No. 2 has a large number of points to defend during this period, including her US Open title, while currently facing an irregular phase following her defeat to Diana Shnaider in the Round of 16 at the Canadian Open.

The 21-year-old American player competed in the Olympic Games last week but did not achieve significant results. Nevertheless, Gauff quickly traveled to Canada in the midst of a major points defense.

Gauff faces ranking threat as points defense falters

Last year, the start of the hardcourt swing was the moment of Gauff’s breakthrough, as she won her first WTA 500 title at the DC Open, followed by her first WTA 1000 title in Cincinnati two weeks later, and finally her first Grand Slam title at the US Open. Those dream weeks catapulted Gauff up the rankings and currently maintain her position as world No. 2.

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However, this year’s points defense has not started well for Gauff. Her participation in the Olympics prevented her from going to Washington to defend her 2023 title, resulting in a loss of 500 points. Additionally, she left Paris 2024 without a medal, despite being one of the favorites in singles, doubles, and mixed doubles.

This week in Canada, she was defending her quarterfinal points (190 points), but she was eliminated in the Round of 16 after falling to Diana Shnaider in a decisive 4-6, 1-6. “Sometimes I question whether I should have played or not,” Gauff stated after the defeat. “But at the end of the day, I wanted to test myself and see if I would be able to, how I would do being mentally tired a little bit and physically fatigued.

Coco Gauff at the Olympic Games Paris 2024.

“I said going into the tournament I didn’t have high expectations, but I wish I could have competed better today, even if it resulted in a loss. I don’t think I competed well,” Gauff added. “When you have success young, I think people, especially fans of the sport, tend to forget you’re still developing.”

“A lot of times, when you look at reasons why some younger girls maybe don’t do as well as they get older, it’s more mental, if anything. Overall, I’m just trying to put that in perspective, and honestly, the Olympics was a great learning experience for me.

“Sometimes when you do well young, you just want everything to happen now. A lot of them are between 24 to 27 years old, so I guess it puts it into perspective sometimes. I think I just learned to trust in my training and trust in the journey, just talking with them and learning about their stories.

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“All of them at some point did well young, just because they’re so good. Your game is going to reach its final form in a few years. I’m 20, so hopefully by like 24 I’m there.”

The hardest part is yet to come for Gauff in the coming weeks. Starting Monday, she will have to defend her title in Cincinnati (1,000 points), and just one week after that, she will begin defending her title at the US Open (2,000 points).

If she doesn’t achieve good results in the coming weeks, players like Elena Rybakina, Aryna Sabalenka, and Jasmine Paolini could overtake her in the rankings without even needing to earn points, and the situation could worsen as she narrows the gap with other players further down the rankings, like Zheng Qinwen, Jessica Pegula, and Maria Sakkari.

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SNHAIDER stuns world No 2 Gauff (6-4 6-1) in Toronto and confirms her impressive RISE! ️ ↗️ First Top 10 defeated ↗️ First WTA 1000 quarter-final ↗️ No 108 at the end of January, she's now virtually No 22 (best ranking) 🎦 @WTA

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8:13 AM · Aug 10, 2024

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Cristhián AvilaTennis Journalist

Cristhián Ávila is a tennis journalist based in Santiago, Chile, and has been part of the TennisUpToDate team since early 2023. He covers the ATP and WTA Tours as well as all four Grand Slams, producing breaking news, match reports, analysis, and regular liveblogs from major tournaments.

His reporting combines statistical analysis with clear explanation, helping readers understand tactical developments, player form, and broader storylines across the tour. Working fluently in both Spanish and English, Cristhián collaborates with an international editorial team and contributes to comprehensive global coverage. As part of his work, he has conducted interviews and media interactions with leading figures in the sport, including Caroline Wozniacki and John McEnroe.

In his journalism, Cristhián places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available. His coverage is grounded in research, context, and direct engagement with professional tennis.

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