Second seed Coco Gauff advanced to the fourth round of Wimbledon by defeating British qualifier Sonay Kartal with a score of 6-4, 6-0 on Friday. Gauff faced a stern challenge from Kartal, ranked 298th in the world, particularly in the first set. However, once Gauff secured the opening set, she took control of the match.
“I thought I played really well and she was playing at a high level, especially in the first set,” said U.S. Open champion Gauff on Court One. “She wasn’t giving me much to work with and not letting me settle. I felt like I was going for the right shots but was just missing, but eventually I found it.”
Gauff has previously reached the fourth round as a qualifier in 2019 when she was 15 and again in 2021 but has never made it to the quarter-finals. Her next opponent will be 19th-seeded American Emma Navarro, who won against Diana Shnaider on Friday.
For 22-year-old Kartal, who was among the three Britons, including Emma Raducanu and Harriet Dart, to reach the third round, it was an unforgettable journey at Wimbledon. Planning to get a tattoo to commemorate her 2024 Wimbledon experience, Kartal cherishes the memory of the support she received from the Court One crowd.
“It was unbelievable. From walking out to walking off. They were behind me after every single point. I think it’s something that is truly special,” said Kartal, who faced a serious health issue at the start of 2024. “It meant a lot to me today to have them backing me after every point. That feeling of them in my ear when I was walking off, that moment is going to stick around a long time for me.”