Coco Gauff's struggles continue ahead of U.S. Open

Defending U.S. Open champion Coco Gauff has hit an untimely slump just a few weeks ahead of her title defense at Flushing Meadows. The World No. 2 was stunned by Russia's Yulia Putintseva in the opening round of the Cincinnati Open on Thursday, days after her third-round exit from the Canadian Open. 

The back-to-back losses on the North American hardcourt events followed her controversial third-round loss at the Paris Olympics last month and a fourth-round defeat at Wimbledon. 

"I feel like I have to work on consistency, overall," Gauff said of her ongoing slump, via Tennis.com. "[I will] probably to go home and try to reset. Obviously, I have a lot coming up soon with the U.S. Open, so I think just trying to reset and be ready for that."

Speaking on the Tennis Channel, analyst Jon Wertheim wondered if Gauff's slump had more to do with her "mental approach" than her actual game. He also pointed out that Gauff had lost 16 of her last 18 points entering the U.S. Open. 

"Fortunes can change quickly in this sport, but 16 of the last 18 points [lost] is not the way to enter the only major you've won. It's concerning," he said.