Unranked Yank Topples Top Seed Barty at Wimbledon; Coco Goes, Too
Yet again, an unseeded American woman shocked a star in the singles competition.
This time, though, it wasn't Coco Gauff.
She finally discovered what it's like to face the true top level in the women's game, falling to Simona Halep in straight sets, 6-3, 6-3.
The 15-year-old got a fourth-round schooling:
Halep knows the feeling to be stunned at Wimbledon, and she was determined not to let it happen this year.
That pratfall was left to Ashleigh Barty, who entered Wimbledon as the WTA No 1 as a result of her French Open championship.
She left with an early start to a planned hiatus after unseeded and unheralded American Alison Riske sent her packing, 3–6, 6–2, 6–3:
This result has two immediate effects:
- Serena Williams was awaiting the winner, and now she'll be ever more vigilant to make sure Riske doesn't get on a roll, and
- Being real, Serena's path to the semifinals just got a bit less bumpy.
The Williams sisters, of course, are Coco Gauff's role models. There's no shame in losing to an accomplished player like Halep -- who's definitely paid her dues to reach elite status -- so she appears to be on the same career path they were.
... albeit on a faster track, which is unbelieveable.
She'll be tossed into the US Open's hype machine, so odds are that part of her preparations are gonna be bracing for it.
So has her ranking.
After Wimbledon, Gauff -- who began the tourney at No 313 -- is sure to rise inside the WTA's top 150, landing somewhere in the vicinity of 139.
She's definitely gonna be the most scrutinized No 139-or-so in Flushing.