Gauff, Sabalenka, – Coco Gauff edged past Solana Sierra 6-3, 3-6, 7-6(7) to reach the third round at Wimbledon, winning a pivotal 10-point tiebreak after facing a match point. Aryna Sabalenka also advanced, while Jannik Sinner beat Nuno Borges on Centre Court. Osaka turned heads
LONDON — Coco Gauff was two points away from going out when Solana Sierra served at 5-4 in the third set. Gauff couldn’t afford the moment. yet when Sierra found herself needing to hold for the match. she instead watched the pressure flip—Sierra’s hopes were chased down by three straight points that hauled the contest back to the tiebreak.
In the 10-point tiebreak, Gauff fell behind 7-4, then refused to surrender another point. She won it 7-6(7), sealing a 6-3, 3-6, 7-6(7) victory on Wednesday to reach the third round at Wimbledon.
The finish looked like a release. She struck the deciding ace, then screamed out loud with both fists clenched. Afterward, Gauff made it clear she had stayed locked into the next ball rather than the scoreboard.
“When she had to serve for the match I just reminded myself that I’m a great returner as well,” Gauff said. “I was just trying to be positive and I think that showed.”
Gauff’s breakthrough at Wimbledon came in 2019 when. as a 15-year-old. she reached the fourth round and beat Venus Williams in the first round. She has since won both the U.S. Open and the French Open. but at the All England Club she has still yet to make the quarterfinals despite two more runs to the fourth round.
That Williams win—played on July 1 on No. 1 Court—has remained an emotional reference point for her.
“It was kind of my breakout moment, and playing against one of my idols was insane,” Gauff said. “Every time I walk down this hallway I get deja vu and I just remind myself, like, if I could do that (seven) years ago, I’m definitely a better player since then. So I definitely can do it now.”
Sierra, for her part, was chasing another story-making run. Last year, she became the first so-called lucky loser in the Open Era to reach the fourth round of the women’s tournament at Wimbledon.
The day’s momentum wasn’t limited to Gauff’s court. Naomi Osaka made another splash before her second-round match earlier Wednesday, drawing attention on No. 2 Court with a look different from the “Kill Bill” inspired kimono she wore in her opening-round match on Monday.
This time, Osaka’s all-white outfit featured a wide belt and a long train that trailed behind her. She walked from the locker room to No. 2 Court with photographers and fans following—part of the spectacle she has helped turn into a routine at Grand Slam events.
Osaka took off the outfit as she began warming up against qualifier Anastasia Gasanova, then quickly moved through the match, defeating Gasanova 6-3, 6-2.
“I’m just trying to mix it up a little bit,” Osaka said about her outfit. She also explained the real-life reason behind the change, saying she was worried that losing might have ruined her daughter Shai’s third birthday on Thursday.
“I just wanted to be here for longer, I didn’t want to make her get on a plane on her birthday,” Osaka said.
Top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka followed into the third round on No. 1 Court, beating McCartney Kessler 6-1, 7-6(9). Sabalenka converted her third match point in the tiebreak after saving two set points, and she framed the win as a test she was happy to pass.
“She really tested me today and I’m super happy to have passed the test,” Sabalenka said. Next up for her is Jelena Ostapenko.
On Centre Court, defending champion and men’s No. 1 Jannik Sinner kept things moving with a straight-sets finish over Nuno Borges—7-6(4). 7-6(2). 6-4—but it didn’t feel as clean as the scoreline suggests. Sinner came from a set down twice to win in five sets in his first round. and he again had to fight through a second set that swung under pressure.
Borges served for 5-5 in the second set, when Sinner broke back to keep it even. He then closed the match in just over 2 1/2 hours.
“Second set was very, very tough,” Sinner said.
Other winners on Wednesday included French Open runner-up Flavio Cobolli, No. 17 Frances Tiafoe and No. 21 Tommy Paul.
The schedule continues with a heavyweight women’s matchup on Centre Court: French Open winner Mirra Andreeva faces 2024 Wimbledon champion Barbora Krejcikova. Later, Novak Djokovic takes on Stefanos Tsitsipas.
And the tournament’s return story is still being written—seriously and in public view. On Tuesday. Serena Williams returned to Centre Court but lost in three sets to Maya Joint in her first singles match in nearly four years. Williams tweaked her knee during the match. but she still hopes to play doubles with sister Venus later in the week.
The throughline on Wednesday was simple: survival mattered, momentum followed, and the margins were razor-thin—especially when a player is suddenly reminded how close the match can slip away.
Wimbledon Coco Gauff Solana Sierra Aryna Sabalenka McCartney Kessler Jannik Sinner Nuno Borges Naomi Osaka Anastasia Gasanova Jelena Ostapenko Mirra Andreeva Barbora Krejcikova Novak Djokovic Stefanos Tsitsipas
So she almost lost but then won a tiebreak… feels like Wimbledon is just vibes and luck sometimes.
Match point stuff is always crazy. I swear these tennis matches are like 2 hours of one person being one bad serve away from elimination.
Wait I thought Gauff got knocked out already? Like I saw a clip where she’s crying or something, so this is confusing. Also tiebreak rules are so weird, how is 7-4 even a thing.
The way they described her “stayed locked into the next ball not the scoreboard” makes it sound like she’s playing chess or whatever lol. But honestly 7-6(7) tiebreaks are just whoever’s serving that day. Also Sinner advancing doesn’t surprise me, Center Court is basically his home turf at this point.