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 achieve the third spherical, whereas Naomi Osaka should 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 all the time 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 loads,” 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 captivated with, but it surely’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 typically 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 through the 1 hour, 6 minute match in opposition to an opponent ranked 140 locations beneath 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 general I am pleased to have gotten by to the third spherical,” Gauff mentioned.

“That is tennis,” she added later. “You are all the time going to overlook some pictures that you simply usually would make. I’m attempting to deal with 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 in opposition to the fleet-footed American, who wrapped up the match with a drop shot that Todoni might solely ship large.

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 gained 6-3, 5-7, 6-3 in opposition to France’s Clara Burel.

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

Stated Gauff: “Will probably be robust to face a Brit clearly, particularly on grass. I feel that they all the time do rather well, however particularly on this setting.”

Osaka, in the meantime, should look ahead to a minimum of 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 she or he 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.

“Though to start with, it was sort of like we had 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 taking part in that effectively,” Osaka mentioned. “I suppose these doubts began trickling in loads (and) into my sport.”

Navarro, who gained 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 fee on the internet.

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

British wildcard Emma Raducanu, the 2021 US Open champion, raced right into a 5-0 lead en path to a cushty 6-1, 6-2 victory in opposition to 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 taking part in actually good tennis. I am actually proud of the enhancements I’ve made,” Raducanu mentioned on court docket. “I knew all of the laborious yards and laborious work I used to be doing this yr would result in one thing. I am simply so pleased I will reap among 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.