Coco Gauff missed a match point in the final-set tie-break and lost to Karolína Muchová 6-2, 1-6, 7-6(10) in the Wimbledon semifinals on Thursday, July 9, 2026. The American was one point from her first Wimbledon final.
What happened in the match?
Gauff dropped the first set 6-2 but stormed back to take the second 6-1. The third set went to a tie-break, where Gauff trailed 4-1 before winning five straight points to lead 6-4.
At 8-7 in the tie-break, Gauff had match point on her own serve. She hit a dropshot that floated into the net. Muchová then won three straight points to close out the match.
How did the tennis world react?
Tennis journalist James Gray wrote on X: "Coco Gauff has plenty of career ahead of her. But if she never wins Wimbledon, this failure to put away match point will surely haunt her forever."
Fan Brett Douglas posted video of the point and said: "This miss will haunt Coco Gauff for awhile."
Another fan wrote: "I'm not even Coco [fan], but I'll think about this for a while."
One reporter called it "such a thin margin between victory and defeat." Another fan said: "She flat out choked. Hopefully it pushes her to new heights."
What comes next for Coco Gauff?
Gauff, 22, is a two-time Grand Slam champion. She won the US Open in 2023 and the Australian Open in 2024. This was her second Wimbledon semifinal.
Muchová, 29, advances to her second Grand Slam final. She was runner-up at the 2023 French Open. She will face either Linda Nosková or Marta Kostyuk in Saturday's final.
Gauff will now prepare for the North American hard-court season. The US Open begins in late August.