Gauff survives Sierra scare at Wimbledon, advances to third round

Coco Gauff survived a major scare at Wimbledon on July 1, 2026, rallying past Solana Sierra 6-3, 3-6, 7-6(10-7) in the second round. Sierra served for the match at 5-4 in the third set, but Gauff steadied herself, led 7-4 in the match tiebreak and finished by winning the last six points, sealing it with an ace to keep her title challenge alive.

Gauff had not won on grass for two years before back-to-back victories at Wimbledon 2026, and she has never made it past the fourth round at the All England Club. Sierra, ranked No. 56, had already shown she belongs on the biggest stages by reaching the fourth round at Wimbledon in 2025, her best major result, and she pushed Gauff into the kind of late-match pressure that has often exposed the American’s uncertainty on grass.

Gauff said afterward, “I was just happy and proud of myself, Solana played a great match,” and added that her coach often reminds her, “Remember who you are.” That message fit the way she clawed back from the brink, including a remarkable half-volley winner from behind the baseline that helped turn the match before she closed it out.

Aryna Sabalenka beat McCartney Kessler 6-1, 7-6(9) after coming from 5-2 down in the second set and saving four set points, extending her Grand Slam tiebreak winning streak to 21 straight, an Open Era record. Jannik Sinner was even cleaner, beating Nuno Borges 7-6(4), 7-6(2), 6-4 in two hours and 32 minutes to move to 95 main-draw Grand Slam match wins and pass Nicola Pietrangeli for the most by an Italian man.

Sabalenka will next face Jelena Ostapenko, while Sinner booked a third-round meeting with Jenson Brooksby. Gauff’s next opponent was fellow American Claire Liu.