The sun hung low over Hard Rock Stadium on March 31, 2025, casting long shadows across the court where Coco Gauff, the hometown hero and world No. 3, faced a devastating blow. In a stunning upset at the Miami Open, the 21-year-old American tennis sensation fell 6-4, 6-4 to Poland’s Magda Linette in the fourth round, marking yet another year where her dream of conquering her local tournament slipped through her fingers. The Delray Beach native, cheered on by a passionate South Florida crowd, walked off the court with a heavy heart, her eyes betraying the sting of defeat. This early exit—her second consecutive stumble in a major event after a fourth-round loss at Indian Wells—has sparked murmurs about her consistency and raised tantalizing questions about what lies ahead for one of tennis’s brightest stars.
Gauff’s Miami journey had begun with promise. She rolled into the tournament on the heels of a 2024 season that saw her clinch the US Open and WTA Finals, her aggressive baseline game and blistering serve a testament to her potential as the heir to Serena Williams’ legacy. In the early rounds, she dispatched opponents with ruthless efficiency, including a 6-0, 6-0 demolition of Sofia Kenin that sent a clear message: Coco was here to win. “I was definitely playing well today,” she’d said after that match, her confidence palpable. Yet, against Linette, a seasoned 33-year-old ranked 34th in the world, the script flipped. Gauff’s serve, a weapon she’d been refining after a shaky start to 2025, faltered at the worst moment. Twelve double faults—seven in the first set alone—piled up alongside 45 unforced errors, turning a winnable match into a frustrating collapse.
The match itself was a rollercoaster of momentum. Gauff started sluggishly, her groundstrokes sailing long under Miami’s breezy conditions. Linette, cool and composed, capitalized early, breaking Gauff’s serve to take the first set 6-4. The second set offered a glimmer of hope—the American rallied from a break down to level at 3-3, igniting the crowd with chants of “Let’s Go Coco!” But just when it seemed she might turn the tide, Linette struck back. At 4-4, Gauff’s forehand clipped the net cord and drifted wide, handing the Pole a crucial break. Moments later, a backhand into the net sealed her fate. “It wasn’t great today; it hasn’t been the last few weeks,” Gauff admitted afterward, her voice tinged with disappointment. “Serve, return, forehand, backhand—everything honestly. Just one of those days I felt off on everything on the court.”
For Gauff, this loss cuts deeper than most. Miami isn’t just another tournament—it’s home. Born in Atlanta but raised in Delray Beach, a short drive from the stadium, she’s long dreamed of lifting the trophy here, a victory that would let her “drive home with it and not have to fly and pack.” Yet, in six appearances, she’s never advanced beyond the round of 16, a perplexing jinx for a player of her caliber. “This is a tough loss,” she said, reflecting on the defeat. “I felt like I could have done better and had the match in control, especially after the second set started to shift.” The sting was compounded by her recent struggles—early exits in Doha, Dubai, and now Miami have dimmed the shine of her stellar 2024, leaving fans and analysts wondering if the pressure of expectations is weighing her down.
Linette, meanwhile, reveled in her moment. “It’s very special to beat Coco,” she said, acknowledging the challenge of facing Gauff even on an off day. “She’s so tough, so I tried to make it difficult for her by putting pressure on her serve and getting her out of her rhythm.” The victory propelled the unseeded Pole into the quarterfinals against Jasmine Paolini, her first against a top-three player since 2021. For Gauff, it was a bitter end to the Sunshine Double, a stretch that began with a semifinal run at Indian Wells but unraveled in her own backyard.
What’s next for Gauff? The clay season beckons, with Stuttgart, Madrid, Rome, and the French Open—where she reached the final in 2022—offering a chance to reset. “I’m excited for clay,” she said, already looking ahead. “I wish I could have done better this hard court season, but I know I can succeed there.” Her serve, a work in progress, showed improvement from the 17 double faults she hit at Indian Wells to just three against Linette before the floodgates opened. “One positive is the serve,” she noted, clinging to a silver lining. “It’s something that can continue to get better.”
At 21, Gauff’s career is a tapestry of highs and lows—Grand Slam glory juxtaposed with these nagging setbacks. Her $23 million in earnings and top-three ranking speak to her talent, but Miami remains an elusive summit. Is it the weight of playing at home, where every fan expects a coronation? Or simply the ebb and flow of a young career still finding its footing? “I’ve had ups and downs,” she acknowledged. “I still feel like I have a couple more years to reach that point where every week is great.” As she heads to Europe, the tennis world watches—heartbroken for her latest stumble, yet captivated by the promise of her next triumph.