Coco Gauff fought back to defeat Jessica Pegula in the quarterfinals, securing her first-ever Wimbledon semifinal appearance. The victory marked a career milestone for the American, who credited Iga Świątek's recent triumph at the All England Club for boosting her own self-belief.
Gauff overcame a deficit to win the quarterfinal match, rallying from a set down to beat Pegula. She did not specify the exact scoreline or stats, but described the win as a comeback that defied expectations. The 20-year-old has now reached the semifinal stage at Wimbledon for the first time in her career.
With this run, Gauff has matched or exceeded her previous best result at the grass-court major, where she had never advanced past the fourth round before. Her performance reshapes the draw and positions her as a threat for the title, as other top seeds have been eliminated in earlier rounds.
Gauff will now prepare for her semifinal opponent, which will be determined by the remaining quarterfinal matchups. A victory would send her to her first Wimbledon final, adding to an already impressive season that includes a Grand Slam title at the US Open in 2023.
“It definitely gave me more belief that I could do it,” Gauff said, referring to Świątek’s impact on her mindset. She acknowledged that seeing other players succeed on the same stage helped her push through tough moments during the quarterfinal.