Cori ‘Coco’ Gauff, 15, into Wimbledon fourth round: ‘I always knew I could come back’

Coco Gauff has gone in five days from being virtually unknown to a Wimbledon second-set tiebreak that was a mini-epic.

US teenager Cori Gauff after winning the second set against Slovenia's Polona Hercog during their women's singles third-round match at Wimbledon. She went on to win the match. Picture: Daniel Leal-Olivas/AFP

“Coco you’re amazing,” shouted a fan as this match seemed to be winding its inexorable way to a tepid surrender.

It was as if the new sensation of this Wimbledon was finally beginning to act her age. Reminder duly delivered, she saved two match points, added coruscating drama to the CV, and having beaten one Williams sister, made the other one wait in the wings.

“Just wing it” is the mantra of Cori “Coco” Gauff, the 15-year-old Wimbledon sensation from Florida by way of Atlanta.

Coco Gauff celebrates beating Slovenia's Polona Hercog during their women's singles third-round match at Wimbledon. Picture: Daniel Leal-Olivas/AFP

The teenage US prodigy became the youngest player to reach Wimbledon’s fourth round after after clawing her way back from a set and 5-2 down to beat Slovenia’s Polona Hercog 3-6 7-6 (9-7) 7-5.

The 15-year-old, ranked 313th in the world, joined women’s big guns Simona Halep, Karolina Pliskova and Elina Svitolina in advancing at the All England Club on Friday local time, but former world No 1 Caroline Wozniacki was eliminated.

Gauff had earned a match on Centre Court after capturing the public’s imagination with her giant-killing exploits, including ousting former champion Venus Williams in the first round.

The teenager, who beat former semi-finalist Magdalena Rybarikova in the second round, was roared on by the crowd but found it hard at first to cope with 28-year-old Hercog’s heavy groundstrokes and big serve.

She showed remarkable composure, however, to fight back against the 60th-ranked Slovenian, who failed to convert two match points in the second set.

“I always knew I could come back no matter what the score is, I just went for my shots,” Gauff, nicknamed Coco, said after leaving the court to warm applause.

“The crowd was amazing. Even when I was down match point they were still cheering me on.”

Having lacked the verve and precocity that had seen off Venus Williams on Monday for the bulk of two sets, she finally shrugged off the shackles of new expectation and went for it on her Centre Court bow. On a wing and a pre-match prayer with her father, she had the Wimbledon crowd in the palm of her hand.

Never mind the jaws of defeat, this was victory dragged from halfway down the throat. She was a set and 5-2 down. She had to save those match points.

The first was done with a sliced backhand on the line that was challenged. The second was gifted to her by a Hercog double fault, the surest sign that she now realised how hard it was going to be to get over the line.

After two hours and 47 minutes the last absorbing rally ended with Hercog putting a lob long. After taunting time, this almost defied reason.

“A star is born,” Martina Navratilova said.

Hercog, a Slovenian ranked 253 places higher than her, had looked increasingly threatening with her skull and rose tattoos seeping out of the strapping on her right arm, but ended looking as if the backbone had been sucked out of her. Gauff stripped her of every semblance of piratical menace.

It is remarkable how in the space of five days, Gauff has gone from virtual unknown to the bearer of neutral hopes, and the second-set tiebreak was the sort of mini epic to make a name.

Slovenia's Polona Hercog reacts after winning a point against Coco Gauff. Picture: Ben Curtis/AP

At 2-2, with Hercog about to serve, a bird landed on Gauff’s side of the net.

Just wing it. An absorbing rally followed, full of big hitting and then a net cord that helped the ball to trickle on to Hercog’s side. Fortune seemed to be favouring the brave, but a few flurries later and Gauff was 5-4 down and two points from the exit.

When Hercog elected not to play at a deep ball, losing the challenge along with her marbles, Gauff had somehow snaffled a set point. Just wing it. She went big on her backhand and missed by inches.

It did not matter. She soon had another chance and, with Hercog palpably nerve-addled and merely getting every ball back into play, she plundered the match-levelling point. Gauff bent over, pumped her fists and roared. Game on.

The third set looked like being easier as she went into a 4-1 lead but then it was the turn of Hercog to throw caution to the wind and go for broke. It made for a thriller.

Quite what Gauff does next is anyone’s guess. She now plays Halep, the No 7 seed, and so will be expected to lose. But this has been a week of sending expectations to bed without any tea. She says her aim is to win the championship. Martina Hingis was the youngest Wimbledon winner, aged 16 and 280 days in 1997. Who can deny her another day of dreams?

The match hinged on changing the course of a second set that was going Hercog’s way. There appeared no way back. Gauff was making errors and seemed bereft of confidence. The easy reading of this was that she had been humbled by the environs, by the sudden realisation of what she was doing, by the Royal Box and all those new Instagram followers.

Parents of US player Cori Gauff, father Corey and mother Candi, celebrate after she won. Picture: Daniel Leal-Olivas/AFP

Those who know her say she is different. Goofy off the court, as she herself put it, but with a carefree game that comes from knowing it is only tennis. “We’re all going to die one day,” she said after beating Williams. Her dream is still kicking.

The by-product of this match was that she not only forced her opponent to dig deeper than she had wanted to, but she also forced the postponement of Serena Williams and Andy Murray’s doubles debut. Such is the enthralling story that Gauff is penning this week, Centre Court appeared to forgive her.

That crowd yearned for her to do well and be in on a new chapter, but the first draft looked like being bookmarked and placed on the shelf. A slow first game saw her hold serve to huge cheers. Hercog responded with a love game and there was muted applause. Gauff saved a break point to stay ahead and when she played a deft cross-court volley the crowd was willing her on.

Coco Gauff returns to Polona Hercog. Picture: Ben Curtis/AP

However, she was broken in the eighth game in surprisingly ordinary fashion. A double fault gave Hercog 0-30. Another one, a first serve halfway up the net and a second way long, gave her the game. The first set went with a whimper rather than a bang and no hint at what was to come. Gauff was soon down 3-0 in the second. For the first time here, her shots lacked pace and she looked full of teen angst.

Cue a fightback to remember. She has already lit up these championships in a way only a new name can. Wrinkled watchers could cast their minds back and remember how Steffi Graf made the fourth round as a 15-year-old before falling to Jo Durie. The more serious just remembered the timeline of cautionary tales.

There was even one playing on the practice courts as Gauff signed autographs by the gates earlier in the afternoon. Few recognised Andrea Jaeger, but the 54-year-old was doing interviews at the age of 10.

Coco Gauff after a point against Polona Hercog. Picture: Daniel Leal-Olivas/AFP

Roger Federer, seemingly the most level-headed of sporting titans, has been so moved by Gauff that he has suggested the WTA should change its rules so that she can play more elite competitions. The rule was introduced to protect young players, but Federer warned against arrested development. “Maybe your best time is from 14 to 20,” he said. He does not get much wrong.

Next up for the American is a clash with seventh seed Halep, who beat former world No 1 Belarusian Victoria Azarenka 6-3 6-1 in 66 minutes.

The Romanian, who herself began the year as world No 1, has slipped to seventh in the rankings, having reached the last eight only once in the last four majors, but there was plenty to suggest the claycourt specialist is a contender.

“I think was my best match this year. I played really well. I felt actually very confident. I’ve been aggressive all the match, even if I was 3-1 down first set,” Halep said.

Czech third seed Pliskova was pushed by Taiwan’s Hsieh Su-Wei but eventually won their match 6-3 2-6 6-4 to move into the fourth round.

The 27-year-old broke serve late in game eight to move ahead 5-3 before securing the first set with an ace.

“I think I was just too good on the serve. I had a lot of aces,” said Pliskova, who hit 14 service winners.

The former world No 1 will next play unseeded compatriot Karolina Muchova who beat Estonia’s 20th seed Anett Kontaveit 7-6 (9-7) 6-3.

China’s unseeded Zhang Shuai also upset last year’s Australian Open champion Wozniacki in straight sets with a 6-4 6-2 victory to reach the fourth round for the first time in her career.

Eighth seed Svitolina also advanced with a battling 6-3 6-7 (1-7) 6-2 victory over Greece’s Maria Sakkari, needing six match points to win the contest.

The Times/AAP