Gauff battles into first Wimbledon semi-final
Coco Gauff surprised even herself by overcoming her recent grass-court struggles to reach a first Wimbledon semi-final with a battling victory over Jessica Pegula.
Two-time Grand Slam singles champion Gauff had never previously gone beyond the fourth round at the All England Club and suffered a first-round exit last year.
The American arrived at this year’s championships having not won a singles match on a grass court since the third round of Wimbledon in 2024.
However, she recovered from an error-strewn start against world number four Pegula to win 4-6 6-3 6-3.
The 22-year-old is the youngest player to reach the semi-finals at all four Grand Slams since Maria Sharapova, who achieved that feat at the 2007 French Open.
Gauff’s past four matches have all gone to three sets but the seventh seed’s fighting spirit and supreme athleticism has seen her through to the last four.
“It feels really special considering the results I’ve had of late, especially on this surface,” Gauff said.
“I think I’m able to relax a bit because I just feel, regardless of how the rest of this tournament goes, I’ve found a breakthrough on grass.
“I’m just proud of myself. Obviously I’m not satisfied – I want to go all the way.”
Gauff will face Karolina Muchova for a place in the final after the Czech 10th seed ended Naomi Osaka’s impressive run in a high-quality contest.
Muchova reached a first Wimbledon semi-final – having lost at this stage in 2019 and 2021 – with a 7-6 (7-4) 6-4 win over Japan’s Osaka on Court One.
Gauff appeared visibly frustrated as she was hindered by four double faults and 17 unforced errors in the opening set.
But as she has done all tournament, the seventh seed showed excellent fighting spirit to become the first woman to reach the singles semi-finals with four three-set wins for 30 years.
When her victory was confirmed, Gauff turned to her team and asked “how?”.
“I’m confident in myself and the player that I am, but I know tennis. If I wasn’t myself, I would [pick] her to win that game with the style she has on this surface,” said Gauff, explaining that reaction.
“But because I am me, I pick myself. I think it was just more so that reaction came from like a third-person point of view, rather than necessarily me in the moment.
After an excellent opening set, Pegula was ultimately punished for failing to take her opportunities early in the second, having forced three break points in her opponent’s first two games.
The momentum flipped when Gauff capitalised on a poor game from Pegula, breaking to love and maintaining her composure to battle back from 0-30 down as she served out the set to level the match.
The topsy-turvy nature of the contest continued in the final set, but it was Gauff who was able to raise her level when it mattered.
The 2023 US Open and 2025 French Open champion offered an immediate response to take a 4-3 lead after Pegula had broken back, and celebrated victory on Pegula’s serve with a first match point.
The loss means Pegula’s wait for a first Grand Slam singles title goes on – and she may be left to rue a missed opportunity.
Muchova ends Osaka’s run
Osaka has been one of the stories of this year’s championships, proving a showstopper both on and off the court.
The 28-year-old four-time major winner stunned world number one Aryna Sabalenka in a brilliant performance to reach the last eight and has dazzled crowds with her various walk-on outfits – including paying tribute to her nation’s culture in a kimono.
But that impressive run came to an end against Muchova, who raised her level to dominate the first-set tie-break before ending Osaka’s resistance deep in the second set.
Muchova was solid from the back of the court and made significantly fewer unforced errors (21) than her opponent (32) to edge a competitive match, defined by beautiful ball-striking as both players landed 24 winners.
