Coco Gauff Reaches First Wimbledon Semifinal With Dramatic Comeback Win Over Fellow American Jessica Pegula
LONDON — Coco Gauff advanced to her first career Wimbledon semifinal on Tuesday, rallying from a set down to defeat fellow American Jessica Pegula 4-6, 6-3, 6-3 in an all-USA quarterfinal that pitted the tournament's two highest-seeded women's players against each other on Centre Court.
The No. 7-seeded Gauff overcame an early setback, dropping the first set to the No. 4-seeded Pegula before regrouping to take control of the match over the final two sets. The turning point of the second set came when Pegula, serving at 3-4, double-faulted at 0-40, handing Gauff a 5-3 lead she would not relinquish. Gauff then sealed the set with a 117 mph ace, leveling the match at one set apiece.
The decisive third set featured several momentum swings before Gauff ultimately pulled away. She broke Pegula with a low passing-shot winner to take a 2-1 lead, only for Pegula to break back immediately when Gauff netted a forehand on break point, tying the set at three games apiece. Gauff responded right away, breaking Pegula at love for a 4-3 lead after Pegula netted a forehand off a deep service return. With Pegula serving to stay in the match at 3-5, 30-40, she dumped a backhand into the net, sending Gauff into a celebration on court as she completed the win.
Gauff finished the match a perfect 4-for-4 on break-point conversions and served at 76 percent in the decisive third set, controlling the tempo from the baseline throughout the closing stages of the match.........
