Grasping her second chance with both hands, lucky loser Solana Sierra of Argentina has made it all the way into the second week of Wimbledon.
Wimbledon: Scores | Order of play | Draws
On Friday, World No. 101 Sierra posted a 7-5, 1-6, 6-1 third-round win over the player placed just below her in the PIF WTA Rankings, World No. 102 Cristina Bucsa of Spain.
This is the first time in the Open Era (since 1968) that a lucky loser has made the Wimbledon Round of 16 in women’s singles.
Read more: From lucky loser to Wimbledon standout, get to know Solana Sierra
Rising 21-year-old Sierra becomes the seventh lucky loser to make a women’s singles Grand Slam Round of 16 in the Open Era — and the third in the last three years, as this number creeps higher and higher of late.
Between 1980 and 1993, four lucky losers made the Round of 16 at Grand Slam events in women’s singles. The first was Hana Strachonova at 1980 Roland Garros (in a 64-player draw).
After that, Dana Gilbert (1982 Roland Garros — in a 96-player draw), Nicole Muns-Jagerman (1988 Roland Garros) and María José Gaidano (1993 US Open) joined the list. (Gaidano, like Sierra, hails from Argentina.)
After 1993, it was a massive three-decade gap before it happened again. At last, lucky loser Elina Avanesyan reached the Round of 16 at 2023 Roland Garros.
Suddenly, 2025 has become the first year where this has happened twice. Lucky loser Eva Lys made the Australian Open Round of 16 in January, and Sierra has done it again at Wimbledon.
Sierra will try to become the first lucky loser to make a Grand Slam quarterfinal in women’s singles. The previous players listed are a combined 0-6 in their Round-of-16 matches.
Meanwhile, Sierra is also flying the flag for Argentina. She is the first woman from her country to reach the Wimbledon Round of 16 in over 20 years — since former Top 10 player Paola Suarez in 2004.
Sierra is also the first Argentine woman to reach the Round of 16 at any Grand Slam event since Nadia Podoroska made the 2020 Roland Garros semifinals as a qualifier.