Madrid Open 2026: Coco Gauff falls to Linda Noskova in three-set thriller

U.S. tennis star Coco Gauff was knocked out of the Madrid Open 2026 in the round of 16 on Monday (27 April), losing 6-4, 1-6, 7-6(5) to Czechia's Linda Noskova.

Noskova took the opening set on the back of an early break Gauff couldn't recover from. But the American answered in the second, breaking twice to take it 6-1 and level the match.

Gauff, the reigning French Open champion, broke first in the third, capitalizing on a Noskova double-fault to lead 1-0, and saved a 0-40 deficit on her own serve to consolidate for 2-0.

She pushed the lead to 4-1 before Noskova broke back for 2-4, held to 3-4, and broke again to level the set at 4-4.

Both then held their serve to force a tiebreak.

Gauff led 3-0 before Noskova won four of the next five points to take a 5-4 edge. Gauff held to 5-5, then sent a forehand long to give Noskova match point at 6-5. The Czech sealed it on her next serve.

Gauff has been dealing with illness throughout her run in Madrid, including during her third-round win over Sorana Cirstea, when she was sick on court.

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