The 21-year-old American was trailing 6-2, 2-0 against 20-year-old Filipino player Alexandra Eala when she decided she could not continue, handing Eala a place in the last 16.
Gauff later said the injury felt like it was on fire, though she remained hopeful the problem could be resolved in time for the upcoming Miami Open.
Gauff had earlier taken a medical timeout while trailing 5-2 in the first set, receiving treatment on her arm. A trainer worked on her shoulder and arm before her forearm was wrapped after she was broken in the final game of the set.
Despite the treatment, she ended the contest after 54 minutes and informed Eala at the net that she was stopping the match.
“I felt it, like, the second game of the first set,” Gauff said.
“I guess a simple way to put it, it felt like a firework was going off inside of my arm, and then my whole arm felt like it was on fire.
“And then as the match played, it got progressively worse, even on shots that I wasn’t even using my left arm for.
“It was a scary feeling. Good news is they don’t think it’s going to be like a long-term type of situation, so I should be fine for Miami.”
It was only the second retirement of Gauff’s career. The first came in 2022 when she withdrew against Marie Bouzkova at the Cincinnati Open.
Eala’s progress continues a steady rise for the young Filipina. She gained global attention with a surprise semi-final run at the 2024 Miami Open, defeating Iga Swiatek and Madison Keys along the way.
She also made history at the US Open by becoming the first player from the Philippines to win a Grand Slam singles match.
