LONDON — In a thrilling matchup, Coco Gauff rallied from a break deficit in the final set, clinching the last six points of the tiebreaker to defeat Solana Sierra with a score of 6-3, 3-6, 7-6 (7) on Wednesday, advancing to the third round at Wimbledon.
Facing defeat at 5-4 in the third set, Gauff found resolve and won three consecutive points to secure a crucial break. During the 10-point tiebreak, she was down 7-4 but rallied to take control, sealing her victory with an impressive ace and a celebratory scream, fists raised high.
“When she was serving for the match, I just reminded myself of my strength as a returner,” Gauff reflected. “Staying positive was key, and I believe that paid off.”
Gauff made headlines in 2019 at Wimbledon when she reached the fourth round as a 15-year-old, famously defeating Venus Williams in the first round. Despite her successes at the U.S. Open and French Open since then, she has yet to break into the quarterfinals at the All England Club, although she has made two additional fourth-round appearances.
Interestingly, her debut victory over Williams also took place on July 1 at No. 1 Court.
“That was my breakout moment, playing against one of my idols was unreal,” Gauff reminisced. “Walking through this hallway gives me such deja vu, and I remind myself that if I achieved that seven years ago, I’m definitely a stronger player now. I can absolutely do it again.”
Sierra also aimed to make a mark at Wimbledon, having made history last year as the first so-called lucky loser in the Open Era to reach the fourth round of the women’s tournament here.
Meanwhile, Naomi Osaka turned heads once more with a stylish new look prior to her second-round match on Wednesday.
Osaka, whose fashion statements have become a highlight at Grand Slam events, opted for a simpler ensemble compared to her “Kill Bill” themed kimono from the opening round. However, her all-white outfit, which featured a wide belt and an eye-catching train, still drew considerable attention as she made her way to No. 2 Court, trailed by eager photographers and fans.
The outfit, which she removed to warm up against qualifier Anastasia Gasanova, did not hinder her performance as she swiftly won the match 6-3, 6-2.
“I’m just trying to mix it up a little,” Osaka shared about her fashion choices, mentioning her concerns about a potential loss overshadowing her daughter Shai’s third birthday on Thursday. “I wanted to ensure I was still here to celebrate with her, not just whisk her away on a plane on her special day.”
Following close behind, top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka advanced to the third round with a win over McCartney Kessler, finishing with a score of 6-1, 7-6 (9) on No. 1 Court.
Sabalenka secured her victory on her third match point in the tiebreak after successfully saving two set points.
“She truly tested my skills today, and I’m thrilled to have met that challenge,” Sabalenka said, gearing up for her next encounter with Jelena Ostapenko.
Men’s No. 1 and defending champion Jannik Sinner had a smoother outing on Wednesday, defeating Nuno Borges 7-6 (4), 7-6 (2), 6-4 in his match on Centre Court.
However, it wasn’t entirely straightforward for the Italian, as he had to break back to reach 5-5 in the second set after Borges had served for it, eventually winning the match in a little over 2.5 hours.
“The second set was incredibly tough,” Sinner acknowledged.
Other notable winners of the day included French Open runner-up Flavio Cobolli, No. 17 Frances Tiafoe, and No. 21 Tommy Paul.
Next up on Centre Court, fans eagerly awaited the matchup between women’s French Open champion Mirra Andreeva and 2024 Wimbledon titleholder Barbora Krejcikova, followed by a thrilling showdown between Novak Djokovic and Stefanos Tsitsipas.
In a nostalgic turn of events, Serena Williams made her return to Centre Court but faced defeat in three sets against Maya Joint during her first singles match in nearly four years. Despite tweaking her knee during the match, Williams still has her sights set on playing doubles with her sister Venus later this week.
