Coco: So cool the Obamas now know who I am!

WIMBLEDON’S favourite 15-yearold Coco Gauff finally tasted defeat at SW19, losing in the mixed doubles to an opposing team boasting a Grand Slam champion and a 42-year-old.

American teenager Gauff and Britain’s Jay Clarke (pictured right) lost 6-1, 6-4 on Court No2 to 2017 French Open singles winner Jelena Ostapenko and veteran doubles specialist Robert Lindstedt.

Despite defeat, Gauff, who faces No 7 seed Simona Halep in the fourth round of the singles tomorrow, was still smiling after a week in which she has risen out of obscurity.

She spoke about warming up for matches by watching prank videos on YouTube, and how the highlight of her week has been learning that Michelle Obama knows who she is.

The former First Lady tweeted ‘Coco is terrific!’ following her compatriot’s stunning comeback win over world No60 Polona Hercog on Centre Court on Friday night.

‘I saw the tweet,’ said Gauff. ‘We don’t talk personally. I don’t have her number or anything. I would like that! I was super excited. She is one of my role models, so it was cool to see she knows I exist.

‘All this has happened quickly. I saw videos back at home of people screaming after a match, and I saw somebody painted a mural of me in Fort Lauderdale. That was cool.’

Halep, who won the French Open in 2018, will be her sternest test yet. ‘I’m just going to approach her like every other match I have been approaching,’ Gauff said.

‘My routine has been working pretty well, so that’s how I’m going to go into the match.’