Coco Gauff added another milestone to her growing career on Sunday, punching her ticket to the Wimbledon quarterfinals for the first time with a hard fought 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 victory over Belinda Bencic.
The 22-year-old American found herself battling more than just her opponent on Court No. 1. With an earlier four hour match pushing the schedule back, Gauff and Bencic did not begin until 8:40 p.m., leaving little room before the All England Club’s 11:00 p.m. local curfew.
Gauff stayed composed as the clock ticked down and finished the match in dramatic fashion at 10:58 p.m. with an unreturned wide serve, avoiding an overnight suspension by just two minutes. She celebrated the moment with a playful gesture, pointing to her wristband as if checking the time after surviving the race to the finish.
The win also clears a hurdle that had followed Gauff throughout her Wimbledon career. Ever since her unforgettable breakthrough as a 15-year-old, she had never advanced beyond the fourth round at the grass court major. That changed with Sunday’s comeback performance.
Next up is another big stage, as Gauff will meet fellow American and No. 4 seed Jessica Pegula in the quarterfinals on Tuesday. The matchup also makes history, marking the first Wimbledon meeting between two top 10 seeded American women since Serena and Venus Williams squared off in the 2009 final.
