Coco Gauff advanced to the Wimbledon semi-finals after a hard-fought comeback victory against fellow American and former doubles partner Jessica Pegula on Wednesday. The 22-year-old, who has historically struggled on grass courts, dropped the first set 4-6 amid serve troubles and unforced errors but rebounded to win the next two sets 6-3, 6-3.

Gauff experienced difficulties early in the match, committing four double faults and 15 unforced errors while managing only six winners in the opening set. She briefly left the court for a toilet break after about 30 minutes of play, returning with renewed focus and intensity that propelled her turnaround. Having first made a breakthrough at Wimbledon as a 15-year-old, Gauff expressed a growing belief that winning the prestigious title could be part of her destiny.

“There are moments where I play, it’s like no matter what happens, I’m going to win,” Gauff said after the match. She admitted that just a week ago, she had been doubtful about her chances but now hopes to see her name on the Wimbledon champions’ wall, adding the Venus Rosewater Dish to her previous French Open and US Open titles.

Gauff’s next opponent will be Czech player Karolina Muchova, who secured her place in the semi-finals by defeating Naomi Osaka 7-6, 6-4. Osaka, a former Grand Slam champion, has not won a major title in over five years but had appeared to be a strong contender after ousting world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka in the earlier round.

Reflecting on her exit, Osaka expressed disappointment at the missed opportunity, especially with many top-seeded players eliminated from the tournament. “This one is a little more upsetting to me because I feel like there was so much more I could have done,” she said. “I feel like in my head there’s still an opportunity to win a Slam.”

With the top six women’s seeds out of contention, the tournament has opened up, presenting a rare chance for remaining players like Gauff and Muchova to claim the Wimbledon title. Both players will face off in a highly anticipated semi-final clash that could shape the outcome of this year’s championships.