LONDON — Cori Gauff became the youngest player in the professional era to survive the Wimbledon qualifying draw on Thursday as the 15-year-old American thrashed Belgium's Greet Minnen 6-1, 6-1 to seal her place in next week's main draw.

Gauff, who is combining her practice sessions with her schoolwork, looked like a seasoned grasscourt player as she claimed her a third successive straight-sets victory.

"I knew I was the underdog and I was just enjoying it," Gauff, who says it would be a dream to play idols Serena or Venus Williams at Wimbledon, told reporters fresh from walking off court at Roehampton.

"Serena is the reason why I play tennis and why my dad decided to get me a racket. Obviously, I don't care who I play I'm just happy to be in the draw but I would love to share the court with Serena. If I played any one of them it would be a dream come true."

Gauff, who won the French Open junior title in 2018, was given a wildcard into the Wimbledon qualifying event and took advantage in spectacular fashion. She will be the first 15-year-old in the main draw since Britain's Laura Robson in 2009.

"I had no expectations really," she said. "I feel really blessed. My parents never put any limitations on my goals and told my to shoot as high as I can."

Bjorn Borg's son set for

'incredible' junior Wimbledon

Almost 40 years after his father Bjorn Borg won a fifth consecutive Wimbledon title, 16-year old Leo Borg is set to make his debut at the legendary tournament, according to media reports.

According to reports in British tabloid The Sun and Swedish tabloid Expressen, Borg will be awarded a wildcard to play in the Wimbledon junior event. "Leo is very grateful about getting a wildcard for the qualifiers to junior Wimbledon," Bjorn Borg told Swedish tabloid Aftonbladet.

"It will be an incredible experience and useful practice for the future," he added. A spokeswoman for the Wimbledon tournament did not want to confirm the decision, only saying that wildcard announcements and the main draw for the Juniors tournament would be made next week.

If confirmed, Leo Borg's Wimbledon debut comes 39 years after Bjorn Borg defeated American rival John McEnroe, winning him his fifth consecutive Wimbledon title.

The iconic match has been called one of the greatest matches of all time and the story was adapted for the screen in the 2017 feature film "Borg vs McEnroe," where Leo, bearing a striking resemblance to his father, played a younger version of Bjorn Borg.

During the 1970s and early 1980s Bjorn Borg won a total of 11 Grand Slam titles won, five Wimbledons and six French Opens. — Agencies