Should Coco Gauff get the same criticism as Iga Swiatek for failing to succeed at Wimbledon?

A disappointed Coco Gauff left Centre Court after losing to fellow American Emma Navvaro. The 20-year-old continued her poor form on the grass courts of Wimbledon, having never made it into the second week at SW19.

Notably, with Iga Swiatek and Ons Jabeur already out of the tournament and Aryna Sabalenka withdrawing before the start of Wimbledon, Coco Gauff would feel she has missed her biggest chance at glory at the British Slam.

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Coco Gauff fails at the fourth-round hurdle at Wimbledon again

Coco Gauff's misery at Wimbledon continued as the American star once again failed to deliver on the grass courts of London. The 20-year-old has failed to move past the fourth round at the SW19 in five attempts and that slump continued against Emma Navarro on Sunday.

Gauff was knocked out in straight sets by Navarro who won the match 6-4, 6-3 in front of a packed Centre Court. The former US Open champion made 23 unforced errors compared to just 12 winners during her defeat to her compatriot. However, Gauff's exit comes as no real surprise, given her history at Wimbledon.

Gauff has a win percentage of 71 on grass courts and has never won any title on the surface. The American has especially struggled to adjust to the requirements of Wimbledon where she has a 69% win rate, winning 11 and losing 5 matches.

Compared to Iga Swiatek's Wimbledon history, Gauff has an even worse record. However, the American has managed to escape criticism while the Polish star has been called a 'one-surface player' for her success on clay.

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Coco Gauff deserves the same amount of criticism as Iga Swiatek for her Wimbledon failure

Iga Swiatek has a better record at Wimbledon than Coco Gauff. The Polish star is constantly criticized for her performances on the grass courts as she has failed to make a name for herself at Wimbledon. However, the World No. 1's record at All England Lawn Tennis Club is better than that of both Naomi Osaka and Coco Gauff, which doesn't get talked about enough.

Swiatek made the quarterfinals of Wimbledon in 2023, which is her best performance at SW19 to date. The Polish star was eyeing a French Open and Wimbledon double last year but failed at the last-eight stage at the London Major.

Swiatek is often labelled a 'one-surface' player for her dominance on the clay courts. The Pole has won Roland-Garros four times in the last five years, asserting her dominance as the best player in the world, especially on the surface. The World No. 1 also has a US Open title to her name that she won in 2022. However, despite her incredible success at such a young age, the 23-year-old is hammered for her poor record at Wimbledon.

Coco Gauff has never made it past the fourth round at Wimbledon (Getty Images)

Iga Swiatek has a similar record and win percentage at Wimbledon as Coco Gauff. Both the players have a win rate of 69%, having won 11 matches and lost 5, but the criticism towards both is chalk and cheese.

Gauff is still looked at as a young girl who has immense potential to dominate the women's division of tennis. However, the American is now 20 years of age and is no more a 'teenage prodigy'. Gauff winning the US Open 2023 was seen as a coming-of-age moment for the youngster in the sport, but she has since failed to make any Grand Slam final.

Swiatek on the other hand is a constant threat at Grand Slams and has won at least one Major each in four of the last five years. The Pole is too good a player to be hailed as a 'one-surface wonder' and has shown glimpses of her potential at the Australian Open and Wimbledon. Criticizing Swiatek by comparing her grass court performance to her brilliance on the clay court is unfair to her.

Both Gauff and Swiatek have competed at the Wimbledon on five occasions in their short careers so far, but have failed to make an impact. The duo have not delivered to their high standards and should be open to criticism. However, both the players should be treated equally and criticism for just Swiatek is not fair on the Pole as well as Coco Gauff.