Defending champion Coco Gauff loses to Emma Navarro and is eliminated from the US Open.

 NEW YORK — Here’s a key takeaway from defending champion Coco Gauff’s 6-3, 4-6, 6-3 loss to Emma Navarro in the fourth round of the US Open on Sunday: Gauff recorded 19 double-faults, surpassing her 14 winners.

This defeat adds to a troubling trend of early exits for Gauff, who also fell in the third round at the Paris Olympics and managed just a 1-2 record in hard-court tuneup events before arriving in New York.

"I know there are 70 other players in the draw who would love to have had the summer I had, even if it’s not my best time of year," said Gauff, the No. 3 seed, reflecting on her 18-1 record during last year’s North American hard court swing, which included her first Grand Slam title. "So many people want to make it to the fourth round or the Olympics; it’s all about perspective."

Despite struggling with her serve, Gauff showed resilience by winning four consecutive games to take the second set, claiming 14 of 17 points during that stretch.

Navarro, the 13th seed, acknowledged a lull in her performance but managed to regroup. "It was a bit of a battle of wills for a while, but I’m proud of my effort today," she said. This marks the second time Navarro has eliminated Gauff in the fourth round, having done so at Wimbledon in July.

Gauff tied her career high for double-faults, matching the 19 she recorded in a 2020 French Open loss. She struggled particularly in the final set, committing 11 double-faults and finishing with 60 unforced errors overall, including 29 on her forehand.

She attributed her serving issues to mechanical problems and mental hurdles. "I sometimes feel it's more of an emotional issue. I can hit 30 serves in a row on the practice court, but it’s a different story in matches," Gauff explained. "I need to find ways to overcome this and stop losing matches like this."

Navarro, who also eliminated Gauff in Wimbledon, displayed greater steadiness, despite her own 35 unforced errors.

This loss follows defending men’s champion Novak Djokovic’s earlier exit, extending the streak of no consecutive title holders at the US Open. The last woman to win back-to-back titles was Serena Williams from 2012 to 2014, while Roger Federer last accomplished this among men from 2004 to 2008.

Navarro's victory propels her to her second major quarterfinal, which will take place against No. 26 Paula Badosa, who defeated Wang Yafan 6-1, 6-2. The other quarterfinal matchup features No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka, last year's runner-up to Gauff, against No. 7 Qinwen Zheng, who won a grueling match against No. 24 Donna Vekic.

Navarro felt at ease playing in Arthur Ashe Stadium for the first time, saying, "I didn’t feel overwhelmed or nervous, which surprised me."

Gauff, however, expressed disappointment in her performance, stating, "I expect better, but it happened, and I know I can turn it around."