Gauff led the head-to-head 3-0, with all those meetings coming on clay. The most recent was in Madrid, at altitude, where Yastremska showed how dangerous she could be.
Gauff prevailed 0-6 6-2 7-5, but under the No.1 Court roof at Wimbledon she confronted an opponent perfectly suited to the conditions – and who possesses the game to go further this fortnight.
“I was actually on fire,” Yastremska smiled. “I really, really enjoyed playing on Court 1.
“I have good memories from this court, even though last year I lost there to Donna Vekic. I still have a nice memory. This court brings me a lot of energy. I really felt it today.”
Yastremska’s giant-killing capabilities are obvious, especially at Grand Slam level – never more so than when she powered to the Australian Open 2024 semifinals, beating Marketa Vondrouova, Emma Navarro and Victoria Azarenka along the way.
But with her win over Gauff, Wimbledon becomes the major tournament at which she has the best winning percentage, nearing 70.
No.1 Court was also where Yastremska appeared in the junior singles final in 2016 – demonstrating her early affection for grass – and where she made the fourth round on her women’s singles main-draw debut in 2019.
That year she beat Sofia Kenin, the 28th seed who looms as a potential third-round opponent.
“I feel pretty good on grass,” Yastremska declared. “I had a couple matches.”
She’s played nine this grasscourt season, to be exact, and won seven.
She’ll be hoping for an eighth when she faces Anastasia Zakharova next.