Match of the day
When the world No.60 from Slovenia, Polona Hercog, looked to be closing in on a memorable Centre Court victory and a fourth round berth at a major for the first time in her career, few would’ve predicted that a couple of hours later we’d be searching for the right words to describe yet another remarkable chapter in the Cori Gauff Wimbledon fairytale.
And yet, here we are. The 15-year-old American saved two match points deep in the second set and held her nerve to close out a quite memorable 3-6, 7-6(7), 7-5 victory to become the youngest player to reach the fourth round in SW19 since Jennifer Capriati in 1991.
All on her Centre Court debut. The crowd erupted, Henman Hill came alive and social media went Coco crazy as well-wishers including Magic Johnson, Samuel L. Jackson, US basketball star Joel Embiid, soul legend Gladys Knight and British actress Miranda Hart tweeted their congratulations.
Next up for the teenager is Simona Halep on Monday when Wimbledon and the world will be watching once more.
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Spcial mention
Step forward, Guido Pella. Twelve months after a second round win over the 2017 runner-up, Marin Cilic, the Argentine was at it again on Friday.
This time it was last year’s finalist Kevin Anderson who came under his spell on Centre Court as the South American lefty, who won his first ATP title earlier this year, came through 6-4, 6-3, 7-6(4). The 29-year-old is another who’ll be stepping on court to play the first Grand Slam fourth round match of his career on Monday when he goes up against Canadian Milos Raonic in a quarter of the draw that has been blown wide open.
A quick shout out to Belgian David Goffin too, who came back from 4-1 down in the fifth set to beat No.11 seed Daniil Medvedev 7-5 in the decider.
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Under the radar
With the spotlight shining brightly on young American Cori Gauff late on Friday, over on No.1 Court a young Frenchman by the name of Ugo Humbert was making his own mark on Wimbledon as he efficiently dismantled another teen sensation, Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime, 6-4, 7-5, 6-3.
The recently-turned 21-year-old from Metz, currently ranked No.66 in the world, had one Grand Slam win to his name before arriving at Wimbledon.
He now has victories over Gael Monfils (who retired from their first round contest midway through the fifth set), Spaniard Marcel Granollers and Auger-Aliassime and next faces one of the greatest tests in the sport – a date on Monday with world No.1 Novak Djokovic. “I think playing Novak, it will be the best match of my young career,” he said.
