Coco Gauff has done something no woman under the age of 23 has done in nearly two decades, and she did it the hard way.
A Set Down, and then a Statement
The 22-year-old lost the opening set on Centre Court to fellow American Jessica Pegula in shaky fashion, committing four double faults and a string of unforced errors.
But Gauff has made a habit of finding another gear when it counts in this tournament. She turned the match on its head, storming back to win 4-6, 6-3, 6-3 to book her place in the Wimbledon semifinals for the first time in her career.
It was not pretty at the start, Pegula took advantage of Gauff’s sloppy start to claim the first set.
Gauff tightened up her serve, found her rhythm in the rallies and turned defense to attack. She broke Pegula twice in the decider, and closed it out in style.
Coco Gauff advances to her first-ever Wimbledon semifinal 👏 pic.twitter.com/TrigolxA5R
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) July 7, 2026
History on the Turf
This win is more than a semi-final place. According to ESPN, Gauff is now the youngest woman to reach the semifinals at all four Grand Slam tournaments since Maria Sharapova did so back in 2007.
And this has happened on a surface that’s given Gauff more headaches than any other. She hadn’t won a match on grass in two years prior to this fortnight, and had never made it past the fourth round at the All England Club in six previous attempts.
What Next
Gauff will now facebKarolina Muchova for a place in the final. This run already feels like a breakthrough for a two-time Grand Slam champion who had once appeared to think Wimbledon might always be her hardest stage.
Now she has the chance to make a career-first semifinal all the more special.
