Grand Slam bubble bursts for US teen Gauff

Cori Gauff (USA) greets Anastasija Sevastova (LAT) at the net following their match on day one of the 2020 US Open tennis tournament at USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center - Robert Deutsch-USA TODAY Sports

NEW YORK (Reuters): A US Open expected to produce surprises in the unnerving calm of a fanless Flushing Meadows delivered on day one as American teen sensation Coco Gauff was eliminated from the first round of a Grand Slam for the first time.

Gauff, whose run to the third round ignited last year’s tournament, bowed out 6-3 5-7 6-4 to Anastasija Sevastova at an empty Louis Armstrong Stadium on Monday.

Having reached the fourth round at the Australian Open in January and Wimbledon in her Grand Slam main draw debut last year, 16-year-old Gauff had never felt the pain of an early exit from the majors.

Adding weight to the disappointment was the long break between Grand Slams, with the COVID-19 pandemic having cancelled Wimbledon and postponed Roland Garros.