"That forehand is never going to win Wimbledon";"Elena Rybakina's tournament to lose now" - Fans react to Coco Gauff's shock 4R loss to Emma Navarro

Coco Gauff crashed out of the 2024 Wimbledon Championships with a shock loss to compatriot Emma Navarro in the fourth round. Tennis fans have expressed their dismay regarding Gauff's performance during the clash, criticizing her subpar forehand in particular.

Despite breezing through the earlier rounds of the grasscourt Major with dominant straight-set wins, the World No. 2 struggled against Navarro in the blockbuster all-American clash. Recording an unenviable 16 unforced errors on her forehand, Gauff suffered a resounding 6-4, 6-3 loss to her compatriot in just an hour and 14 minutes.

The 20-year-old was visibly frustrated with her below-par level during the contest, even lashing out at her coach Brad Gilbert and her team for not providing her with any guidance to mount a challenge to Navarro.

Tennis fans were disappointed with Coco Gauff's performance, with many of them lamenting the "glaring weakness" of her forehand and suggesting that her ability to succeed was limited until she fixed the shot.

"That forehand is not ever going to win Wimbledon for Coco," one fan commented.

"Coco is insanely talented but if she wants to continue being a grand slam contender she NEEDS to fix the consistency of her forehand. it breaks down on her way too often," another fan chimed in.

"Coco Gauff’s is obviously an amazing tennis player but she will ultimately underachieve in her career unless someone fixes that forehand. Despite her success it’s so obviously a liability," said another.

"Coco Gauff is a good player but a great like The Williams Sisters she isn't, that forehand is still a glaring weakness," wrote yet another.

Meanwhile, some fans showered praise on Emma Navarro's stellar performance and impressive tactics during the contest, in contrast to the World No. 2's mentally "weak" display.

"Navarro dictated all day with her forehand and her game was simply stronger today. A deserved win for Emma," one fan posted.

"I love how intelligent she is. Definitely a problem solver who doesn't look at her box for answers every point," another fan shared.

"Man, I was surprised by how weak Gauff's mental game was. Absolutely fell apart, emotional and frustrated with her box for problems that were completely her own fault/shots, and so on," said another.

One fan also suggested that Gauff's exit has caused Elena Rybakina to become the outright favorite for her second Wimbledon title.

"Rybakinas tournament to lose now. But really impressed with the way Navarro played, she looks calm and dedicated on the court. I saw her playing in Bad Homburg, could be a top 10 candidate in the future!" the fan commented.

"I really wanted to attack Coco Gauff's forehand" - Emma Navarro on her strategy for Wimbledon 4R win over compatriot

Emma Navarro defeated Coco Gauff at Wimbledon 2024 (Source: Getty)

Emma Navarro shed light on her tactics in her post-match press conference, disclosing her strategy to "attack" Coco Gauff's forehand. The 23-year-old likened their battle to a "cat-and-mouse" game, with the World No. 2 targeting her forehand in return.

"I really wanted to attack her forehand. I think she wanted to do the same to me. We found ourselves in a lot of forehand cross-court rallies. It was kind of a cat-and-mouse, who's going to change the pattern first," she said.

Navarro also expressed her delight at the strategic nature of the contest, revealing that it felt like a chess match.

"I love matches like that where it feels like it's not just a hitting or striking competition, there's strategy involved. It feels like a chess match or something. That was really enjoyable for me," she added.

Following her win over Coco Gauff, Emma Navarro will continue her dream run against seventh seed Jasmine Paolini in the quarterfinals. Navarro enjoys a perfect 3-0 record against Paolini, having claimed a 6-2, 3-6, 6-0 victory in their most recent clash at the 2024 Miami Open.