The fourth round of Wimbledon will feature some impressive play from young American female tennis players.
On Friday, world No. 2 Coco Gauff defeated Sonay Kartalu 6-4, 6-0 to earn the right to play No. 19 Emma Navarro.
The winner of Sunday’s match will advance to the quarterfinals, which will be the first appearance at Wimbledon for both players.
“At this point in time, if I lose in the fourth round or the quarterfinals, it feels the same in a way, because I have big ambitions,” Gauff, the 2023 U.S. Open champion, said after the match.
The 20-year-old Gauff and the 23-year-old Navarro met in the semifinals of the ASB Classic in Auckland in January, with Gauff winning in straight sets, 6-3, 6-1.
“When I played her earlier this year, I don’t think I was necessarily ready for the challenge,” Navarro told The Associated Press. “I know I have it in me to beat someone like her. It’s just a question of maybe being able to do it on a bigger stage.”
Though this is only his second appearance at Wimbledon, Navarro has been on a roll as a newcomer recently, achieving career-best results at Grand Slams this year, including reaching the round of 32 at the Australian Open and the round of 16 at the French Open.
She has had a string of convincing wins to open her London tournament, including a win over four-time Grand Slam winner Naomi Osaka in the second round.
The New York-born Navarro lost the first set on Friday to Diana Schneider 2-6, 6-3, 6-4 but rallied strong in the third set.
Gauff said she didn’t expect it to be an easy win.
“We always knew she was going to be a talented player,” Gauff said on ESPN’s broadcast a few hours after Friday’s match. “My prediction is she’s definitely going to play better. I think she’s really relaxed. She’s had some great wins in this tournament already. It’s going to be a tough match.”
Gauff said she needs to hone her serve on the grass courts at Wimbledon to reach the top.
As a Grand Slam champion, Gauff may enter Sunday’s match with more support from the crowd, something she has appreciated since playing at the U.S. Open in Flushing last August.
“From my experience playing in the US, you always play better and do better,” she said before mingling with the British crowd.
“Thankfully, you guys have been really nice to me and that has helped,” she said.
