Cori Gauff, the 15-year-old schoolgirl who stunned five-time champion Venus Williams in the first round, continued her dream Wimbledon debut on Wednesday 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
One of the Wimbledon favourites, Czech third seed Karolina Pliskova reached the last 32 with a 6-0, 6-4 win over Puerto Rico’s Olympic champion Monica Puig.
Pliskova, one of four players who could end Wimbledon as world No 1, will face a tricky opponent in Hsieh Su-wei of Taiwan for a spot in the fourth round.
In a match which opened proceedings on Centre Court, 52nd-ranked Puig was clearly over-awed, winning just nine points in a 20-minute first set.
Simona Halep, the seventh seed, overcame a stutter in the second set to beat fellow Romanian Mihaela Buzarnescu 6-3, 4-6, 6-2. In the process, she set up a clash of former world number ones with Victoria Azarenka.
The double Australian Open winner swept past Australia’s Ajla Tomljanovic 6-2, 6-0 earlier in the day. Azarenka, now at 40 in the world, was a semi-finalist at the All England Club in 2011 and 2012.
Russia’s Margarita Gasparyan was forced to retire when just two points from victory against Ukraine eighth seed Elina Svitolina.
World number 62 Gasparyan was 7-5, 5-4 ahead when she collapsed to the ground on Court Three, suffering with cramping. Although she bravely tried to continue, the Russian, who has undergone three knee surgeries in her career, was forced to quit.
“I was a little bit shocked, it’s never nice to get this when someone is injured like that,” said Svitolina who goes on to face Greece’s Maria Sakkari for a place in the last 16.
Another seed fell as 27th seed Sofia Kenin lost to Dayana Yastremska 7-5, 4-6, 6-3.
Results
Women
2nd rd
Elina Svitolina (UKR x8) bt Margarita Gasparyan (RUS) 5-7, 6-5 - retired
Maria Sakkari (GRE x31) bt Marie Bouzkova (CZE) 6-4, 6-1
Karolina Muchova (CZE) bt Madison Brengle (USA) 6-3, 6-4
Anett Kontaveit (EST x20) bt Heather Watson (GBR) 7-5, 6-1
Hsieh Su-Wei (TPE x28) bt Kirsten Flipkens (BEL) 7-6 (7/3), 6-3
Karolina Pliskova (CZE x3) bt Monica Puig (PUR) 6-0, 6-4
Victoria Azarenka (BLR) bt Ajla Tomljanovic (AUS) 6-2, 6-0
Viktorija Golubic (SUI) bt Yulia Putintseva (KAZ) 6-4, 7-6 (7/3)
With AFP Inputs
