Wimbledon: Defending French Open champion losing in opening round

Wimbledon: Defending French Open champion losing in opening round

In a major upset, reigning French Open champion and world number two Coco Gauff was knocked out of the first round at 2025 Wimbledon.

Ukrainian Dayana Yastremska, ranked 42nd, defeated Gauff in the women's singles clash on Tuesday. She won by a scoreline of 7-6 (3), 6-1.

Gauff became the third defending French Open champion to lose the first-round clash at Wimbledon (Open Era).

Justine Henin (2005)

Justine Henin won the 2005 French Open after beating Mary Pierce in the women's singles final.

However, she suffered a setback a month later, facing an early exit at Wimbledon. She lost to Eleni Daniilidou.

This was the first instance of the reigning French Open champion losing her opening women's singles match at Wimbledon in the Open Era.

Francesca Schiavone (2010)

Francesca Schiavone was the second woman with this record.

Her only singles Grand Slam title came in 2010, as she won the French Open. Schiavone won the final against Samantha Stosur.

It was followed by her first-round exit at Wimbledon.

Notably, Stosur also lost in the opening round. This marked the first instance of the French Open finalists losing the opening round of Wimbledon.

Coco Gauff (2025)

As mentioned, Coco Gauff is the latest entrant on this list.

Gauff, the second seed, beat Aryna Sabalenka in the 2025 French Open final. She won 6-7 (5), 6-2, 6-4 to claim her second major title.

Gauff became the third American woman to secure the singles title at Roland Garros since 1990.

However, she lost to Yastremska at Wimbledon.