Coco Gauff sped into the fourth round, equaling her finest run at Wimbledon, but she admits she has higher goals at the All England Club this year.
The U.S. Open champion defeated British No. 9 Sonay Kartal 6-4, 6-0 on Court 1 in 62 minutes, setting up an all-American matchup with 19th seed Emma Navarro in the last 16.
Gauff made it to the Wimbledon fourth round as a 15-year-old in 2019, then replicated the feat two years later but was eliminated in the first round last year.
Gauff, the second-seeded player, admits to being apprehensive at the Grand Slam. While a win against Navarro would award her a lifetime membership in the famous Last 8 Club, which includes rewards for Wimbledon quarterfinalists, she has set loftier aims.
When asked if she joined this tournament with the goal of winning the trophy, Gauff said, “Yes. Losing in the fourth or quarterfinals is similar, in some ways, because I had such high expectations.
“I hate to admit it, but once you win, you tend to take it for granted. I try not to be obvious.
“Making a bunch of quarterfinals in Slams makes you want to advance to the semifinals. You make a few semifinals and want to make the final. It doesn’t feel like a big accomplishment or anything.
“Obviously, it would be really special here, as I believe the final eight club is the most established here. It would be fantastic to acquire it.
“It’s definitely the most apprehensive I get about Slams. The history that surrounds this competition is quite exceptional. It simply feels incredibly exclusive.
“I’m not sure if it’s because this was my first major tournament. I’m not sure if that’s the issue or just Wimbledon in general.
“For some reason, I always get apprehensive here, especially during the first round. Now that I’m past that, I’m fine.”
Gauff will face Navarro next, after coming from behind to defeat Diana Shnaider on Court 18.
Emma Raducanu continued her impressive form by defeating Maria Sakkari 6-2, 6-3.
Raducanu, a former U.S. Open champion, will face qualifier Lulu Sun in the last 16, after the New Zealander secured another week at Wimbledon with a tight win over Zhu Lin.
Jasmine Paolini defeated former Grand Slam champion Bianca Andreescu 7-6 (7-4), 6-1 on Court 1 after the first two hours of play were canceled due to rain.
Madison Keys, the 12th seed, is up next for French Open runner-up Paolini, who overcame Marta Kostyuk 6-4, 6-3 on Court 17 after the All England Club altered the location from Court 12 due to the weather forecast.
In two hours and 51 minutes, Paula Badosa defeated Daria Kasatkina 7-6 (8-6), 4-6, 6-4, despite the rain.
It was the first time the Spaniard, who has struggled with fitness in recent years, had advanced to the fourth round of a Grand Slam since 2022, and she was overcome with emotion following her victory, which set up a match with Donna Vekic, who defeated Dayana Yastremska in three sets.
“It’s not my first time in a second week, but I think it’s the most special one,” Badosa told reporters. “In the end, I’m very proud of myself. I’ve been dealing with a lot of ailments, and it’s been a long time since I was in a second week. For me, it meant a lot.
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