Wimbledon: Gauff crashes out in last 16 as Navarro wins all-American tussle

By Sports Desk July 07, 2024

Coco Gauff suffered a surprise exit in the last 16 at Wimbledon as Emma Navarro claimed a huge straight-sets victory over her fellow American on Centre Court.

Second seed Gauff entered the match hoping to reach the last eight for the fifth time in her last six grand slam entries, but the US Open champion was stunned by her compatriot.

Nineteenth seed Navarro needed just 76 minutes to wrap up a 6-4 6-3 victory, advancing to the quarter-finals at a major for the first time in her career.

The 23-year-old was broken to love five games into the opener but that setback only spurred her on as she hit back immediately, eventually claiming the second break in the 10th game with a fine passing shot down the line. 

Gauff looked nervous at the start of the second set, a double fault and a wayward forehand handing Navarro a break four games in, though the world number two forced her opponent to serve it out after fending off a potential second break.

Navarro failed to convert her first two match points, but it was third time lucky as Gauff crashed a return into the net, sealing the biggest win of Navarro's career.

"I'm just really grateful to be out on Centre Court, where so many legends have played before me, it's a real honour and I just can't wait to play again," Navarro said afterwards.

"It's probably my favourite court I've ever played on. The fans, the atmosphere… just having my family and my team watch me was so special.

"I played really aggressively. Coco's an amazing player, I have respect for her and everything she's done, but I wanted to push back against her and I think I did that."

Data Debrief: Navarro flying the flag

Navarro will now face seventh seed and French Open runner-up Jasmine Paolini for a place in the semi-finals, with Gauff following fellow heavyweights Aryna Sabalenka and Iga Swiatek out of the draw.

She is just the fourth American woman to beat a top-two ranked player at Wimbledon, after both Venus and Serena Williams and Alison Riske. 

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    Swiatek swept aside Kasatkina 6-1 6-0, with the Russian a late replacement for Jessica Pegula who withdrew from the tournament due to a knee injury. 

    The Pole then had to rely on Coco Gauff beating Barbora Krejcikova to reach the final four, but the Wimbledon champion came through in straight sets to send Swiatek home. 

    Swiatek won 51 of 74 points and broke Kasatkina’s serve five of six times, ending the encounter in 51 minutes, which was her shortest match this year. 

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    But it mattered little in the end, with Swiatek revealing she was unaware of the scenario surrounding her progression to the semi-finals. 

    “Honestly, I don’t think it matters. Like we go out on court to win every match anyway. I was not thinking about that. I did not know that was the case," she added. 

    “I’m professional enough to always give 100 percent, no matter what the stakes are."

    Swiatek, though, became the third player in the 2000's to win 10 or more matches against top-10 opponents for three consecutive seasons, after Serena Williams (2012-2014) and Venus Williams (2000-2002). 

    But the day belonged to Krejcikova, who topped the Orange Group after extending her unbeaten run to two matches over Gauff. 

    The Czech emerged a 7-5 6-4 victor in just under two hours, saving 11 of the 12 break points she faced against the American to book her place in the semi-finals. 

    The world number 13 became the lowest-ranked player to make the semi-finals at the WTA Finals since Sandrine Testud (ranked 14th) in 2001.

    "I think the calmness that I have in myself is key. I was ready to enjoy and excited. I had nothing to lose," Krejcikova said. 

    "I mean obviously it was difficult. I was just more strict with my game and that was the key today.

    "It's very tough to say because before the tournament, I was dealing with some issues and didn't know what to expect.

    "I tried to stay positive and knew I was going to fight to the end.

    "I faced Zheng last year, she is playing great and had a great season and it is going to be really difficult but I have nothing to lose and I am just going to try and play my best tennis."

    Krejcikova will now face Zheng Qinwen, who came second in the Purple Group, while Gauff will take on world number one Aryna Sabalenka in the other match. 

  • WTA Finals: Zheng powers past Paolini to join Sabalenka in last four WTA Finals: Zheng powers past Paolini to join Sabalenka in last four

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    The Olympic gold medallist hit 12 aces as she powered past this season's French Open and Wimbledon finalist in just over an hour in Riyadh.

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    "Finally, I showed off some tennis I really want to play," she said. "Of course, when you enter the match, you are nervous, but at the same time, you feel confidence because you know your level. And I know how capable I am.

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    Sabalenka's place in the semi-finals was already secured, rendering her 6-4 3-6 6-1 defeat by Elena Rybakina academic, though ending a seven-match winning streak.

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    Iga Swiatek's hopes of finishing as the year-end world number one were dashed after she fell to defeat against Coco Gauff at the WTA Finals on Tuesday. 

    Gauff earned her first triumph over Swiatek since the 2023 Cincinnati Open, emerging a 6-3 6-4 victor to reach the final four of the competition in Riyadh. 

    It means Aryna Sabalenka is now guaranteed to top the WTA rankings at the end of a calendar year for the first time in her career. 

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    At the age of 20 years and 237 days old, Gauff is the youngest American to reach back-to-back semi-finals at the WTA Finals since Tracy Austin (1979 and 1980).

    She is also the first player under the age of 21 to win both her first two round-robin matches at the year-end competition since Ana Ivanovic and Maria Sharapova in 2007.

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    "I was just trying to be resilient and play it deep. The conditions are tough and the altitude is tough.

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    In Tuesday's other match, Barbora Krejcikova ended Jessica Pegula's hopes of qualifying for the semi-finals of the tournament with a straight-sets triumph. 

    The Wimbledon champion needed just 69 minutes to secure a 6-3 6-3 victory, serving 11 aces throughout the contest compared to Pegula's one. 

    World number 13 Krejcikova became the lowest-ranked player to win a match at the WTA Finals since Magdalena Maleeva (ranked 17th) defeated Daniela Hantuchova in 2002.

    The Czech will also have confidence of claiming the crown in Riyadh having won her previous events in Tallinn, Ostrava, Dubai and Wimbledon when beating an opponent in the WTA's top 10. 

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    "I was trying to be really solid and trying to put as many balls to the other side as I could. 

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    "And being here in the Finals is a huge privilege. It’s nice to get the win and still be part of the event."

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