Coco Gauff’s loss to Anastasia Potapova was one of the biggest shocks of the first week at the 2026 French Open, and it has had a significant impact on the WTA Rankings.

The two-time major winner, who was the reigning champion at Roland Garros, was beaten 4-6, 7-6(1), 6-4 by world No 30 Potapova on Court Philippe-Chatrier on Saturday.

Following the match, Gauff said: “I had chances, I think just trying to capitalise more on these good points that I’m hitting and not quite finishing.

“So yeah, I think that was the difference, that she was able to finish the points and I wasn’t.”

The world No 4 added: “When you lose the lead, [and] I have been in that position and you’re playing from behind, you’re a lot more freer because you’re just, like, whatever.

“I think I need to have that same mentality when I’m behind, playing like that to get back into the lead, and I need to figure out how to make that mental switch of keeping that level of play when I do have the lead.”

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Gauff was defending 2,000 points at the French Open because she won the clay-court Grand Slam in 2025.

The American was the world No 4 with 6,749 points in the latest edition of the WTA Rankings, but she dropped to sixth in the Live WTA Rankings when the points from her 2025 title dropped.

This left Gauff on 4,749 live points before play began in Paris, and she increased her total by 130 points to 4,879 points by winning her first and second round matches.

The 22-year-old’s third round exit means she will remain on 4,879 points — a massive 1,870 points below her total before her title defence.

As a result, Gauff remains sixth in the Live WTA Rankings, with Jessica Pegula on 6,056 points in fourth place and Amanda Anisimova on 5,848 points in fifth.

Gauff can still be overtaken by Elina Svitolina and Mirra Andreeva — both of whom are still competing at Roland Garros.

Svitolina is seventh with 4,125 points, while Andreeva is eighth on 3,991 points.

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