Coco Gauff eases into third round of Wimbledon women’s draw

WIMBLEDON, England — Coco Gauff continues to “benefit from the journey” at Wimbledon, particularly after a straightforward victory to succeed in the third spherical, whereas Naomi Osaka must wait one other yr after her return to the Grand Slam occasion resulted in a fast exit.

On Wednesday, Gauff beat qualifier Anca Todoni 6-2, 6-1 on No. 1 Courtroom to advance to the third spherical on the All England Membership.

The court docket is a particular place for Gauff, as its the place she beat Venus Williams in 2019, when Gauff made her Wimbledon debut at age 15.

“That is the court docket the place I first began right here at Wimbledon. Courtroom 1 is at all times a particular place for me to play on,” the 20-year-old Gauff mentioned in her on-court interview.

The victory additionally permits Gauff, the No. 2 seed, to maneuver one other step away from final yr’s first-round exit.

“Total, I simply discovered about life so much,” the US Open champion mentioned when requested about placing that three-set loss to Sofia Kenin behind her. “I simply realized that, sure, what I do I am very enthusiastic about, nevertheless it’s not ever that severe and typically the world could make you are feeling like there’s a lot stress, there’s a lot expectation. On the finish of the [day], it is a sport. It is sport.”

She added later: “I are usually ultracritical on myself. I am like, ‘Okay, let me take a step again, be affected person, and benefit from the journey.'”

Gauff slipped and fell twice on the slick court docket and muttered to herself in the course of the 1 hour, 6 minute match towards an opponent ranked 140 locations under her. She additionally had 16 unforced errors within the brief match and managed to land solely 43% of her first serves.

“I do assume I might have performed cleaner at some factors however total I am glad to have gotten by way of to the third spherical,” Gauff mentioned.

“That is tennis,” she added later. “You are at all times going to overlook some photographs that you just usually would make. I’m making an attempt to concentrate on straight units and profitable cleaner.”

Todoni, the 19-year-old Romanian who was making her Grand Slam debut, hit 23 unforced errors and couldn’t discover her vary towards the fleet-footed American, who wrapped up the match with a drop shot that Todoni might solely ship huge.

5 years in the past, Gauff beat Williams — a five-time Wimbledon champion — 6-4, 6-4 within the first spherical and ultimately reached the final 16, all on her Grand Slam debut.

The draw has opened up for Gauff after the first-day withdrawals of Aryna Sabalenka, the Australian Open champion, and former world No. 1 Victoria Azarenka.

Gauff will subsequent play British qualifier Sonay Kartel, who received 6-3, 5-7, 6-3 towards France’s Clara Burel.

“It is going to be a troublesome match,” Kartal mentioned on court docket after the match. “It is going to be a enjoyable match, and I hope I can do the British crowd proud.”

Stated Gauff: “It is going to be powerful to face a Brit clearly, particularly on grass. I feel that they at all times do rather well, however particularly on this atmosphere.”

Osaka, in the meantime, must anticipate not less than one other 12 months after her Wimbledon comeback stalled within the second spherical following a 6-4 6-1 walloping by American Emma Navarro that mercifully lasted solely 58 minutes.

The four-time Grand Slam champion and former No. 1 returned to the tour in January following a 15-month maternity break, and he or she hadn’t competed at Wimbledon since 2019.

After pushing world No. 1 Iga Swiatek to the sting on the French Open, squandering a match level earlier than dropping within the second spherical, Osaka had 4 erratic errors to get damaged within the seventh sport of the primary set by Navarro, and it went rapidly downhill from there.

“Despite the fact that at first, it was type of like we have been buying and selling video games, I do not know why, [but] I did not really feel totally assured in myself. I did not really feel like I used to be enjoying that nicely,” Osaka mentioned. “I suppose these doubts began trickling in so much (and) into my sport.”

Navarro, who received the 2021 NCAA singles title for the College of Virginia and is seeded nineteenth on the grass-court Grand Slam match, used clear tennis to advance: simply 5 unforced errors in comparison with 16 winners; zero break factors confronted; a 4-for-4 success price on the web.

“That is an environment that would simply overwhelm me, or overwhelm any participant, and I spent only a good period of time getting ready myself mentally for the feelings and the nerves I used to be going to really feel,” Navarro mentioned. “Then as soon as I received on the market, I simply felt actually at house.”

British wildcard Emma Raducanu, the 2021 US Open champion, raced right into a 5-0 lead en path to a snug 6-1, 6-2 victory towards Belgian Elise Mertens. It is the primary time Raducanu has reached a 3rd spherical of a Grand Slam since her title win at Flushing Meadows

“I feel I am enjoying actually good tennis. I am actually pleased with the enhancements I’ve made,” Raducanu mentioned on court docket. “I knew all of the arduous yards and arduous work I used to be doing this yr would result in one thing. I am simply so glad I will reap a number of the rewards right here at Wimbledon.”

In different outcomes, No. 11 Danielle Collins accomplished her first-round match — a 6-3, 7-6 (4) win over Clara Tauson. It had been suspended Tuesday night time at 4-4 within the second set.

No. 20 Beatriz Haddad Maia superior to the third spherical by beating Magdalena Frech 7-5, 6-3.

The Related Press and Reuters contributed to this report.