Coco Gauff progresses to fourth round at Wimbledon
Coco Gauff progressed to the fourth round at Wimbledon on Thursday evening, securing a hard-fought 6-3, 6-7(5), 6-2 triumph over compatriot Claire Liu on Court One, reports BritPanorama.
The victory marks the seventh seed’s equal best showing at the All England Club, having reached the last 16 in 2019, 2021, and 2024.
The 22-year-old required two hours and 26 minutes to overcome the world number 146, who entered the tournament as a qualifier. Gauff’s win-loss record at SW19 now stands at 14-6, while her overall Grand Slam tally has improved to 83 victories against 25 defeats.
Gauff appeared to be in control when she held three match points while serving at 5-4 in the second set. However, Liu demonstrated remarkable resilience, saving all three opportunities and forcing a tiebreak as dusk descended upon Court One.
The American’s passive approach during the breaker proved costly, leading to a double fault that allowed Liu to claim the set. However, Gauff regrouped swiftly in the deciding set, breaking Liu’s serve in the opening game with a penetrating backhand that drew an error.
Reflecting on her performance afterwards, Gauff acknowledged the challenge. “I’m just happy to get through,” she said. “I had some opportunities to close it out in the second set but I’m glad I didn’t let that derail me and I was able to come out with a win today.”
The former US Open and French Open champion noted her opponent’s elevated level during the contest, stating, “I definitely had opportunities with some of those match points, but it is only experiences that you can learn from.” Despite her self-critical assessment, Gauff expressed growing belief in her game, particularly in her serve, which she noted has improved over recent matches.
Looking ahead, Gauff will now face Swiss 11th seed Belinda Bencic, who overcame Russian 19th seed Anna Kalinskaya 6-4, 4-6, 7-6(10-6) in their match. Gauff is chasing a third Grand Slam title following her triumphs at Flushing Meadows in 2023 and Roland Garros last year, with Wimbledon representing the next step towards completing her career Grand Slam.
“The opponents I’ve played have been high-level players and good grass-court players. Belinda will be the same,” Gauff said. “It’ll be a tough one.”
