CORI GAUFF, THE 15-year-old who stunned five-time champion Venus Williams in the first round, continued her dream Wimbledon debut on Wednesday evening when she eased into the last 32.
Gauff, ranked 313, defeated 2017 semi-finalist Magdalena Rybarikova of Slovakia 6-3, 6-3 under the new Court One roof.
The American teenager, already the youngest player since 1991 to win a main draw match at Wimbledon, goes on to face Polona Hercog of Slovenia for a place in the last 16.
Gauff is the youngest player in the last 32 since Jennifer Capriati, also 15, went all the way to the semi-finals 28 years ago.
“I played well especially on the pressure points,” she said afterwards.
“I’m just still shocked that I’m even here. I think I can beat anyone. If I don’t think I can win the match then I won’t even step on the court.”
Gauff looked sharp from the off, leaving her Slovakian opponent to watch helplessly as she ran down drop shots and ripped winner after winner down the lines with both forehand and backhand, closing out the win with her second service break of a match that lasted 69 minutes.
Hercog, who upset 17th-seed Madison Keys in straight sets, awaits Gauff in round three.
Gauff had a long wait before finally taking to the grass, with the match moved under the roof on Court One.
If the delay had an impact, however, Gauff did not let it show, breaking Rybarikova to go up 4-2 before consolidating her lead in a service game that saw her run down seemingly everything the 30-year-old threw at her.
Gauff built on that momentum with an early break in the second, taking a 2-1 lead when a Rybarikova forehand on double break point went long.
She continued to hammer away, never facing break point on her own serve, before Rybarikova put a backhand into the net on match point to end it — her 23rd unforced error of the contest to just 10 by Gauff.
The loss represented another disappointing stint at the All England Club for Rybarikova, who first played in the main draw at Wimbledon in 2008, when Gauff was four.
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Amidst all the complaints about traffic etc on Sunday, I’m genuinely excited to see a state of the art, modern GAA venue this weekend. Looks fantastic.
@Marcas Ó Callanáin: Having said that, those seats in the North Stand at the Blackrock End look to have their views severely obscured…?
@Marcas Ó Callanáin: trying to put negativity aside it’s very hard to call this a state of the art modern stadium. It has one new stand that is modern but basic by international standards. The rest is a concrete bowel with no facilities that was designed in 1976 and rebuilt identically. Half the stadium is terraced. It’s new but that’s about it.
@Marcas Ó Callanáin: Great views from all around especially the North stand. Found it better sheltered and gave an overall better view
I think it looks fantastic. The floodlight design and seat colouring look a bit like London Olympic stadium. Look forward to seeing the game at the weekend.
@Evan Geoghegan: a boy kev nev
Be nice when you buy a stand ticket on a wet day only to get soaked because there are no sides on the stands.
@Ruairi O’Bric: must be awful to be so miserable about life Ruairi.
They have done a very nice job.
@MK76: how is pointing out the obvious being miserable?
@Ruairi O’Bric: Passive aggressive then. Either way, you’re hardly a beacon of sunshine and light.
@Ruairi O’Bric: Rain, poor you, wear a jacket
Could have made it new and modern but made it pretty standard
I think the stadium looks bang average. Design isn’t very modern and you still have 2 uncovered ends. What is it with Ireland and the way we design and build stadia. Did I read it cost €80 million?
Lack of big screen seems an over sight
@Pádraic Ó Maoláin: well they went €16million over budget without including the Astro pitch scope so they hardly had room for luxuries like a large tv! “Sure what would they want that for when de game is right of front of them huh”
@Leo Erah: That’s nonsense. The whole thing is new. Not just one stand. Bizarre statement.
@Kieran Lynch: the design is anything but new. No imagination at all. Two uncovered 70s style terraces. One stand double the size of the other. For the money they spent they could have had a fully enclosed stadium, with covered terracing.
@Pa Burke: It’s still a new stadium though. Design issues is another argument.
@Pa Burke: It’s still pretty cool all the same.
@Kieran Lynch: it is what it is. It’s a damn sight better than as lot of other county grounds, but for me, after spending 80m it’s disappointing.
@Pa Burke:”For the money they spent they could have had a fully enclosed stadium with covered terracing” And where would they have got that Pa?? Woodies DIY :-).I have not seen it yet but their seems to be alot of negativity around, and not quite sure if it is towards the stadium, the County board, or Cork in general?.Right or wrong it is their to stay and the most important thing now, is we keep producing quality young hurlers and footballers to play in it for years to come.
@Kieran Lynch: the stadium was rebuilt from scratch so it is new, I never said otherwise. Unfortunately 3 of the 4 stands were rebuilt identically to the design from 1976. A 40 year old design. There is a new 40m stand that by modern standards is plain and the rest of the stadium is as you were except for a bit of roof on the north stand. The whole thing is a travesty and an example of how not to rebuild a stadium.
@John Carroll: I never mentioned the board or cork in general. The design of the stadium is embarrassinly Irish. The fact that Cork will be playing in a 70s style stadium for another 40 years is depressing.
https://ewanmackenna.wordpress.com/2015/04/23/grounds-for-concern/
@Pa Burke: Not a prayer for 80 million. Stadium you are shopping for would cost 3 or 4 times that.
A crowd of 10,000 turned up… for the first 10 minutes
Nice evening and a very good first half of hurling. (Apparently). View from both sides is good, plenty of space between seats and upper tier is not crazy Croke Park high. Pitch looks good and approach concourse and 4 G pitch is impressive. The same issues persist though, no parking other than on street within 15 mins walk, difficult to get in to and away from. I don’t think there will be enough toilets to cater for large crowds and few food options. If you get there, you will have a grand view, the location is still the biggest issue though.
@DJ Cronin: apparently a new traffic management system is being introduced because it was a part of the planning permission. The black ash park and ride is being mooted with gaa buses to the stadium. Will be some laugh trying to get the old school cork GAA clowns to buy into that one.
Agree also on the facilities comment but really what did people expect, most of the stadium bar he new stand is the same as pre upgrade and has no food/bar facilities. This is nothing like thomond/crowe park/aviva etc.
@Leo Erah: traffic management? We don’t need no steenking traffic management
@Leo Erah: 13 bars in fact.