Coco Gauff's Wimbledon opponent allergic to grass and has second career
Dayana Yastremska is a talented tennis player in her own right and will face Coco Gauff in the fourth round of Wimbledon - but she is also a singer under the name DY
Dayana Yastremska is set to face Coco Gauff on Center Court on Tuesday and the Ukrainian sensation isn't only squaring off against one of the championship's top hopefuls but is also grappling with her grass allergy. Gauff herself faced her own challenges when it comes to using her real name.
Despite reaching the Nottingham Open finals last month, Yastremska conceded that she has trouble with the quintessentially British surface. Her track record suggests success, as evidenced by her advance to the Eastbourne quarter-finals just last week.
Nonetheless, the 25-year-old is gunning for a smooth experience on the pristine turf of Centre Court as she prepares to challenge Gauff.
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"I really love playing on grass, even though I think I have a bit of an allergy to grass!" Yastremska confessed in Nottingham. "I'm very excited, and I was proud of myself. In general everything worked pretty well.
"I can't wait to play in the finals tomorrow. Finally I won't be playing at 11am, which I've been doing all week, so I can sleep tomorrow a little bit more!"
Yastremska boasts some impressive Grand Slam credentials herself. She soared to the Australian Open semi-finals last year, and her most stellar showing at Wimbledon was in 2019 when she charged into the fourth round.
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Currently ranked world No. 43, Yastremska also explores her musical side under the alter ego DY. Her single 'Thousands of Me' made its debut during the lockdown in 2020, and the recent release 'Hearts' serves as her homage to Ukraine.
In response to Russia's invasion in 2022, Yastremska made the heart-wrenching decision to escape her homeland and take sanctuary in France.
On the flip side, Gauff is keeping her Wimbledon expectations in check, setting a rather modest goal for herself.
"Yeah, I mean, the next goal coming up, obviously to have a good result here. I've lost in the fourth round a few times, so I would love to get past that stage. Yeah, I would say that's the next thing I'm looking forward to," Gauff said.
"I would love to win this, but I'm a big believer in just conquering one step at a time. If I get past that stage, then I'll start thinking about the winning."
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