Cori ‘Coco’ Gauff Keeps Making History at Wimbledon

Cori “Coco” Gauff advanced to the fourth round of Wimbledon on Friday after a three-set win against 28-year-old Polona Hercog.

The 15-year-old Atlanta native, currently living in Delray Beach, Fla., came back from a 6-3, 5-2 deficit and saved two match points to defeat Hercog of Slovenia.

In a press conference after the match, Gauff, the youngest player to ever qualify for the main draw, explained her excitement after the win.

“When I was jumping, I was like, wow … I can’t believe it,” she said. “It’s been one long match and it’s finally over.”

Gauff is the youngest woman to reach round of 16 at Wimbledon since Jennifer Capriati in 1991, who went on to the semifinals.

The teen said that she felt the crowd’s support on Friday.

“Even when I was down match point, the people in the crowd were behind me every step of the way and that’s something I really appreciated during the match,” Gauff said at the press conference.

She added, “I remember before I played Venus, one little kid asked for a picture and then after the next day, after I played Venus, everyone was screaming my name so it’s just pretty surreal how life changes in a matter of seconds.”

Related Story: Cori Gauff to Venus Williams After Defeating Her at Wimbledon: ‘I Wouldn’t Be Here Without You’

Gauff defeated Venus Williams (6-4, 6-4) in the first round of Wimbledon on Monday, before defeating former semi-finalist Magdalena Rybarikova and Hercog.

Williams, age 39, has been part of the All England Club family for over 20 years, having won the singles title five times. Gauff had never played in a major tournament before.

The teen will play the former world No. 1 Simona Halep in the fourth round of Wimbledon on Monday.

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