Jessica Pegula

(July 7, 2026) No. 7 Coco Gauff has moved into her first Wimbledon semifinal with a comeback 4-6, 6-3, 6-3 victory over countrywoman No. 4 Jessica Pegula. Gauff will play No. 10 Karolina Muchova. who defeated No. 14 Naomi Osaka 7-6 (4), 6-4 for place in the Wimbledon final.

In her on-court interview, the 22-year-old American Gauff reacted to reaching her first Wimbledon final four: “Oh my goodness. The first time. Oh, my God. Honestly, um, pretty insane, honestly, um, considering how I hadn’t won a match on grass in two years before this tournament, so, um, I’m definitely just really happy with how I played today. Just is an incredible opponent and in person, and playing against her is never easy, but, um, I’m just happy to get through this one today.”

Gauff who has now won four straight three-set matches, talked about how she changed the momentum of the match with her forehand: “I think just, you know, just as well, so flat and low, so I think I just needed to address that, you know, I can, you know, be in there in the rallies, and, um, just play the tennis that I wanted to play, and I think I started to land more first serves in the court, so I think that also helped, and just trusting my shots, I think, um, you know, on the first set, I think I made a little bit too many years rushing out. The rally’s a little bit too quickly, and then, um, I don’t know, I just felt like the last two sets were really great tennis, and I don’t know, I’ve been going three sets almost every match, so, you know, I feel like when you have that face and yourself as a competitor, when the match goes a distance, you know, when you lose one set, you’re not panicking.”

“I’m just happy to get through the semis, Gauff said. “I think after seven years playing this tournament, it’s finally the first time I can walk on center court, and I didn’t feel nervous. Um, so I don’t know if I’m becoming a vet or… I don’t know. Um, but it is a beautiful court. Like, I was looking, like, when they had us waiting over there, I was just, like, looking at all the, ’cause it’s so beautiful back there, looking at all the decorations and the art pieces, and then I literally had to tell myself to, like, look at the door, so I could focus on the match, ’cause I’m just, like, What is that? What does that, is that? Um, so, yeah, I’m just really enjoying the process of being here, playing at Wimbledon, it’s so special in front of you guys, it’s even more special, so thank you for coming out and supporting us, and, yeah. And I know, uh, some of you make wait, like, many hours, uh, to even see us play, sometimes days, so I think it, you know, I always work hard and try my best in the court, but for me, it makes it, like, gives me a little bit more motivation, knowing that so many people, like, put their lives aside to watch people play.”

Pegula, who came into the match with a 5-3 record against Gauff, broke Gauff’s serve in the opening game and held on to take the set 6-4. Gauff had 17 unforced errors in the set, mostly coming off her forehand. Gauff had a first-serve percentage under 60 percent, with four double faults.

Gauff started serving and defending points better in the second set and did not allow a break point on her serve.

Gauff’s serving percentage went up to 76 in the third set, her errors were a mere 8 and she was 3 for 3 on break points.

Gauff is the sixth player since 2000 to reach the Women’s Singles semi-finals at all four major tennis tournaments before turning 23. She joins the club with Venus Williams, Serena Williams, Kim Clijsters, Justine Henin, and Maria Sharapova.

She is the first player to reach the Women’s Singles semifinals at Wimbledon with four three-setters from the Second Round to the quarterfinals since Kimiko Date in 1996.

At No. 7 Gauff is the highest seed remaining in the Ladies’ draw.

Muchova, came into the All-England Club having lost in the opening round of Wimbledon the last four straight years. She beat Osaka in the final of a Wimbledon warm-up at Bad Homburg after winning the first set. Osaka retired with an injury.

For the 28-year-old Osaka, this was the best she has ever done in SW London, as she reached the semifinals. She beat No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka along the way, her biggest-ever grass-court victory. Now the Wimbledon fashion show is over.

At her news conference, Osaka said her plantar fasciitis was acting up because she’s working too much.

“I could feel it coming because I’ve played way more matches than I usually do before a Slam,” she said. “I just wanted to try that to see the rhythm, you know? Obviously it worked out well. But I think I probably won’t do that again. But yeah, I would say it was like an accumulation of playing two weeks straight without a day off.”

“I’m just getting old,” Osaka said.

“It’s hard because I played so well in my last match, then today I just feel like I didn’t play well at all and I didn’t have any energy,” said Osaka.

“It kind of started happening off-season last year,” Osaka added. “I feel like maybe it’s because I’m a lot more springy on my toes. I think it reactivated on grass court because I’m pushing off a lot more to go forward. I don’t think it will bother me on hard court. I’m thinking it was maybe just the surface change.”

This was Muchova’s first win over the woman from Japan.

“Oh my gosh, I was nervous,” Muchova said in her on-court interview. “I was very nervous. As you said, she’s unbelievable. We’ve played so many times. We played a week ago in a tournament against each other, so I think we know each other pretty well at this point. And I know that you can’t lose that focus. You have to still keep going and play every point, because if you give her a chance, she takes it.

“All the best to her. She is a great tennis player and I’m glad I won today.”

More to follow….