Coco Gauff falls to Magda Linette in upset at Miami Open, defining recent serve struggles
MIAMI — Coco Gauff suffered through another frustrating afternoon Monday at a tournament near her hometown, falling in the round of 16 to Magda Linette of Poland 6-4, 6-4.
For Gauff, the world No. 3, the day had many of the tell-tale signs of the previous upsets she has suffered. She served seven double faults in the first set alone, and she finished with 12 on the day. She struggled to get her first serve above the 50 percent mark for most of the afternoon.
Upset on Center Court! @MagdaLinette defeats Gauff in straight sets 6-4, 6-4 and is into the final eight. #MiamiOpen pic.twitter.com/cpjaWg1NXR
— wta (@WTA) March 24, 2025
After losing the first set, Gauff appeared to be on her way to getting back on track, breaking Linette at her first opportunity in the second set. But the double-fault bug got her in the next two games. That allowed Linette to pull ahead, and Gauff could never gain the advantage again.
The situation is extra curious for Gauff because at the end of last year and the start of this one, she appeared to be playing a different, more effective brand of tennis. With a new motion on her serve and a newly aggressive forehand, she won the WTA Tour Finals and helped lead the U.S. to a win in the United Cup.
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But she was unable to carry that momentum into the Australian Open, and since losing in the quarterfinals there, she is just 4-4.
Trying to stay on serve at 4-4, 30-30 in the second set, Gauff clipped the top of the net with a forehand from the middle of the court. On the next point, she sent another ball wider, and Linette had the decisive break.
At an event last week in her hometown of Delray Beach, Gauff said her early-season struggles were as baffling to her as anyone. Though perhaps, she said, her career might go this way for a little while — some struggles and then a big win, like her 2023 U.S. Open triumph, and then long stretches before the next one.
A long backhand gave Linette, the world No. 34, match point. On the next point, Gauff couldn't get the forehand return over the net, and Gauff's WTA 1,000 event was over.
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