LONDON (AP) — There’s no panic in Coco Gauff.Down a set after untimely double-faults, Gauff rallied past Jessica Pegula 4-6, 6-3, 6-3 on Tuesday to reach the Wimbledon semifinals for the first time.The two-time major champion raised her arms in the air after Pegula sent a weak backhand into the net on the first match point in an all-American quarterfinal on Centre Court.“I’ve been going three sets almost every match. I feel like when you have that faith in yourself as a competitor, when the match goes a distance, you know when you lose one set, you’re not panicking,” Gauff said in an on-court interview.With the victory, the 22-year-old Gauff became the youngest player to reach the semifinals at all four Grand Slams since Maria Sharapova, who completed the feat at the 2007 French Open.Gauff will face either Naomi Osaka or Karolina Muchova for a spot in Saturday’s final.
In Gauff’s six previous appearances at the All England Club, she had never gotten past the fourth round. But perhaps the experience at the grass-court major is starting to pay off.“I think after seven years playing this tournament it’s finally the first time I can walk on Centre Court and I didn’t feel nervous,” she said. “So I don’t know if I’m becoming a vet.”
