US Open 2024: Coco Gauff wants to be ‘mentally present’ against Emma Navarro in Wimbledon rematch

Defending champion Coco Gauff says she must remain focused ahead of her US Open fourth-round match against Emma Navarro on Sunday after suffering a “mental breakdown” following her shock defeat to her at Wimbledon.

The third-seeded Gauff was surprised by Navarro in the round of 16 at the All England Club in July, losing in three sets.

The two meet in a typical American tie second at Arthur Ashe Stadium.

“I feel like that match at Wimbledon I literally broke down mentally on the court. I was very frustrated and she was playing well,” Gauff said.

“I expect her to play her best tennis and I need to know that I have to be mentally committed from start to finish.”

Gauff, 20, is hoping to become the first woman to defend her US Open title since Serena Williams in 2014, while 23-year-old Navarro, seeded 13th, is hoping to reach the quarter-finals for the first time at Flushing Meadows.

Elsewhere, Chinese seventh seed Zheng Qinwen plays against the Croatian 24th seed Donna Vekic in a repeat of the women’s singles final at the Paris Olympics.

Zheng defeated Vekic 6-2 6-3 in August to win gold, achieving her best Grand Slam performance ever in New York.

Second seed Aryna Sabalenka is also back in action, with the Belarusian playing against the Belgian 33rd seed Elise Mertens.

In the men’s event, the Russian is the sixth seed Andrei Rublev action opens at the Arthur Ashe Stadium from 17:00 BST against the Bulgarian ninth seed Grigory Dimitrov.

Australian 28th seed by Aleksey Popyrin reward for beating 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic is a draw with the American 20th seed France Tiafoe, while the German fourth seed Alexander Zverev stands opposite another American in Brandon Nakashima.