Youngest female tennis player to make the main singles draw at Wimbledon after qualifying (open era)

On 27 June 2019, Cori “Coco” Gauff (USA, b. 13 March 2004) came through the final round of qualifying for the Wimbledon Championships in London, UK, at the age of 15 years 106 days. The teenage sensation went on to beat five-time Wimbledon singles champion Venus Williams – 23 years 270 days her senior – in Round 1 of the main draw, but a fourth-round defeat against seventh seed Simona Halep (who went on to lift the trophy) brought an end to Gauff’s headline-making run at SW19.

At 14 years 89 days old, Jennifer Capriati (USA, b. 29 March 1976) was a year younger than Gauff when she made her Wimbledon debut on 26 June 1990. Capriati was the No.12 seed for the tournament – her second-ever Grand Slam event after reaching the semi-finals at the French Open earlier in the month – and, unlike Gauff, did not have to go through the qualifying rounds.

Gauff, who received a wild card for the qualifying competition at Roehampton, beat Greet Minnen 6-1, 6-1 to secure her place in the main draw at SW19.

First-round opponent Venus Williams had won four Grand Slam singles titles, six doubles titles, two mixed doubles titles, the Fed Cup and two Olympic gold medals before Gauff was born!