Gauff crashes at Wimbledon as Alcaraz, Sinner locked on collision course

Coco Gauff returns against Emma Navarro during their women’s singles fourth round tennis match on the seventh day of the 2024 Wimbledon Championships at The All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in Wimbledon, southwest London, on July 7, 2024. (AFP)
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Updated 08 July 2024
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Gauff crashes at Wimbledon as Alcaraz, Sinner locked on collision course

LONDON: World number two Coco Gauff was sent crashing out of Wimbledon by American compatriot Emma Navarro on Sunday as Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner were firmly locked on an All England Club semifinal collision course.

Gauff’s 6-4, 6-3 fourth round defeat means that only two of the top 10 women’s seeds are left in the tournament.

Elsewhere, unheralded Lulu Sun became the first New Zealand woman to reach the last-eight at Wimbledon, while Madison Keys quit her last-16 clash in floods of tears.

Navarro, ranked 19th, reached the quarter-finals of a Grand Slam for the first time with her defeat of US Open champion Gauff.

Gauff, who made the semifinals at the Australian Open and French Open this year, has still to get past the last 16 at Wimbledon, the tournament, where she made her breakthrough as a 15-year-old in 2019.

Her shock defeat followed the unexpected exit of world number one Iga Swiatek in the third round on Saturday.

“I think I played really aggressively. Coco’s an amazing player and I have a ton of respect for her,” said Navarro.

Only fourth-ranked 2022 champion Elena Rybakina and Jasmine Paolini, the world number seven, remain from the top 10 women.

Paolini will be Navarro’s quarter-final opponent.

World number three Alcaraz defeated French 16th seed Ugo Humbert 6-3, 6-4, 1-6, 7-5 to make the quarter-finals of a Grand Slam for the ninth time in just 14 appearances.

However, it was another uncomfortable afternoon for the Spaniard, who had needed five sets to see off Frances Tiafoe in the third round.

His erratic performance on Sunday saw him drop serve five times and commit an uncharacteristic 33 unforced errors.

The 21-year-old, bidding to become just the sixth man to win the French Open and Wimbledon back-to-back, eased through the first set under the Center Court roof before crucially saving four break points in the fifth game of the second.

Humbert stormed back, breaking the champion three times in the third set as Alcaraz went spectacularly off the boil.

But Humbert handed over a service break in the 11th game of the fourth set and Alcaraz took full advantage to quickly seal the tie.

“I will be there, fighting until the last ball,” said Alcaraz, who is chasing a fourth Grand Slam title.

Alcaraz will take on American 12th seed Tommy Paul, who beat Roberto Bautista Agut 6-2, 7-6 (7/3), 6-2.

Over on Court One, top seed Sinner moved into the last-eight with a 6-2, 6-4, 7-6 (11/9) win over American 14th seed Ben Shelton.

Sinner, who won his maiden Slam crown at the Australian Open this year, will face Russian fifth seed Daniil Medvedev for a place in the semifinals in a rematch of their final in Melbourne.

“It was a tough match, especially the third set. I had to keep saving set points,” said Sinner, a semifinalist in 2023.

Medvedev, also a semifinalist last year, progressed when 10th seed Grigor Dimitrov retired in the first set of their last-16 tie with a knee injury.

Sun made history for New Zealand with a three-set victory over Emma Raducanu, shattering home hopes of ending a 47-year wait for a British women’s champion.

The 23-year-old qualifier, ranked at 123, triumphed 6-2, 5-7, 6-2 over the 2021 US Open winner.

Sun hit 52 winners against Raducanu, who took a medical time-out in the third set to treat problems with her ankle and back.

“It was a great match against Emma. I really dug deep to get the win,” said Sun.

Sun will next face Croatia’s Donna Vekic, the world number 37, who clinched a 6-2, 1-6, 6-4 win over Spain’s Paula Badosa on the back of 33 winners.

American 12th seed Keys was just one game away from a third quarter-final at the All England Club before she was forced to quit against Paolini.

After dropping the first set, Keys hit back to level the match at 3-6, 7-6 (8/6).

The 2017 US Open runner-up then raced into a 5-2 lead in the decider when she suffered a left leg injury in the eighth game.

At 5-4, she took a medical time-out, returned with her left leg bandaged but with her movement severely restricted, she wept openly on court before quitting at 5-5.

“I’m very sorry for her, it’s sad,” said French Open runner-up Paolini, who had never won a grass-court match until two weeks ago.


Alcaraz sweeps past Djokovic to win ‘dream’ Australian Open

Updated 01 February 2026
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Alcaraz sweeps past Djokovic to win ‘dream’ Australian Open

  • The Spaniard was imperious after a slow start in dismissing Novak Djokovic

MELBOURNE: Carlos Alcaraz swept past Novak Djokovic to win his first Australian Open on Sunday and become the youngest man to complete a career Grand Slam, denying the Serbian great an unprecedented 25th major.
The Spaniard was imperious after a slow start in dismissing the 38-year-old, 2-6, 6-2, 6-3, 7-5 on Rod Laver Arena to claim a seventh Slam title and cement himself as undisputed world number one.
He becomes the youngest man in the Open era to win all four majors, adding to his two titles each from Wimbledon and the French and US Opens.
At 22, he surpassed legendary countryman Rafael Nadal — in the crowd to witness the feat — who was 24 when he did the same.
A seventh Slam put him alongside John McEnroe and Mats Wilander and one behind Andre Agassi, Jimmy Connors and Ivan Lendl.
“Lifting the trophy for the first time in Australia was crazy,” Alcaraz said, before writing on a TV camera lens: “Job finished. Four out of four complete.”
He added: “A dream come true. I dreamt about getting an Australian Open and completing the career Grand Slam.”
He paid tribute to Djokovic.
“You were talking about how I’m doing the things I am, but what you’re doing is really inspiring, not only for tennis players but athletes around the world.”
It was a first defeat for Djokovic in a Melbourne final, having won all 10 previously, leaving him still searching for a landmark 25th major to better Australia’s Margaret Court, who was also watching on center court.
Djokovic, striving to become the oldest man to lift a Grand Slam singles trophy, last won one at the US Open in 2023. Since then Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner have dominated.
“I must be very honest and say that I didn’t think I would be standing in the closing ceremony of a Grand Slam again, so I owe you the gratitude of pushing me forward in the last couple weeks,” Djokovic said, speaking to the fans in the stadium.
He went on to hint this could be his last time at Melbourne Park.
“God knows what happens tomorrow, let alone in six months or 12 months, so it has been a great ride.”
He also joked with Nadal in the stands, saying: “There are too many Spanish legends. I feel like I was one against two tonight. It’s not fair.”

- Fighting fatigue -

Both men battled through five long sets in their semifinals, Alcaraz against Alexander Zverev and Djokovic with Sinner, and recovery was always going to be key.
But they showed few signs of fatigue in another gladiatorial contest.
They both opened with comfortable holds before Djokovic was presented with the first break point chance at 2-1.
Alcaraz saved it, but the aggressive fourth seed kept pressing and converted on his third, then consolidated for a 4-1 lead.
Djokovic was reading Alcaraz’s serve well and once he got in the rallies was authoritative, with a sensational forehand winner earning him two set points.
He claimed the set in a statement 33 minutes, having dominated the big moments.
It was vintage Djokovic, but Alcaraz upped the tempo to break for 2-1 in the second set, pumping his fist when he saved a break point and held in the next game.
Djokovic put drops in his eyes and began rubbing them, unable to tame a now rampant Alcaraz, who broke again for 5-2.
There were some sensational rallies that had the crowd on their feet in set three, which went with serve until Djokovic slapped a forehand wide under pressure to slip 2-3 behind.
He gamely saved four set points at 3-5 but with his energy levels dropping was unable to save a fifth.
On the back foot, Djokovic then saved six break points in an 11-minute opening service game in set four to stay alive.
But Alcaraz ground him down and pounced as Djokovic served to stay in the match to seal a famous win.
It ensured he remained world number one and Sinner two, with Djokovic moving up a place to three.