Cincinnati curse: Coco Gauff’s exit extends shocking 8-year run for reigning women’s champion
Coco Gauff’s Cincinnati Open title defence ended early on Thursday, the world No 2 beaten 6-4, 2-6, 6-4 by Yulia Putintseva.
A lot has been made about Gauff’s loss in the hours since, with the American set to fall to world No 3 in the WTA Rankings next week, and now losing five matches in a row to top-50 opponents.
The American failed to win a single match in Cincinnati – after receiving a bye in round one – though she is far from the only reigning champion to struggle.
No one has defended the Cincinnati Open women’s singles title since 2015 and many of those defences, like Gauff’s, ended early – with some dubbing it the ‘Cincinnati curse’.
Caroline Garcia – 2023
French star Garcia made history with her triumph in 2022 by becoming the first player to win a WTA 1000 tournament as a qualifier.
However, she failed to win a match in her title defence a year ago, receiving an opening bye before a 4-6, 6-4, 6-4 loss to Sloane Stephens.
Ashleigh Barty – 2022
Weeks after winning her second major at Wimbledon, then-world No 1 Barty cruised to the title in Cincinnati three years ago, downing surprise finalist Jill Teichmann to lift the title.
But she retired just months later, meaning she was unable to defend her crown.
Victoria Azarenka – 2021
Former world No 1 Azarenka was a surprise champion at the COVID bubble event in New York in 2020, reaching the final before being handed a walkover from Naomi Osaka.
However, much like many other women on this list, she was unable to reach the quarter-final in her title defence, thrashed 6-0, 6-2 by eventual winner Barty.
Madison Keys – 2020
Five years ago, Keys lifted the biggest title of her career at the tournament, beating former major winner Svetlana Kuznetsova to win the title in 2019.
But the following year – in the New York bubble – she failed to win a single match, defeated 6-4, 6-1 in round two by Ons Jabeur after a bye in her opening round.
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Kiki Bertens – 2019
Former world No 4 Bertens was a surprise unseeded champion in 2018, saving a match point to defeat then-world No 1 Simona Halep in the final.
There would be no second stroke of magic for the Dutchwoman though, who returned as the fifth seed and received a round one bye – but then lost a three-set battle to Venus Williams in round two.
Garbine Muguruza – 2018
In 2017 two-time major winner Muguruza delivered one of the most emphatic final displays in Cincinnati history, dropping just one game to beat Halep and lift the title.
The Spaniard was another who failed to win a single match though, receiving a bye before a 2-6, 6-4, 6-4 loss to Lesia Tsurenko.
Karolina Pliskova – 2017
The closest anyone has come to defending their title recently is former world No 1 Pliskova, who eased past Angelique Kerber to win the title in 2016.
The Czech progressed to the last four in 2017, where she fell to eventual winner Muguruza – reversing their result from their last four clash the previous year.
Serena Williams – 2016
Williams is the first, and currently last, woman to defend the Cincinnati title, winning back-to-back titles in 2014 and 2015.
But she started this unfortunate run in 2016, being forced to withdraw due to injury.
