Coco Gauff’s Comeback at the Australian Open
MELBOURNE, Australia — Coco Gauff’s impressive streak of sets won came to an end during her match at the Australian Open, but her quest for a second Grand Slam title continued on Sunday. She secured a comeback victory against Belinda Bencic, finishing with the scores of 5-7, 6-2, 6-1 in the fourth round.
After her win, Gauff, the 20-year-old Floridian who clinched the U.S. Open title in 2023, left a playful message for fans by drawing a broken heart on a TV camera lens with the words “RIP TikTok USA,” hinting at the app’s ban in the U.S.
Before this match, Gauff had won all 16 sets she had played this year, achieving an impressive tally of 24 out of her last 25 sets dating back to the previous season that included her title at the WTA Finals.
Reflecting on her performance, Gauff acknowledged the difficult start against Bencic, saying, “In the first set, she played great tennis, and it was tough for me to be on the offense.” However, she quickly adapted her strategy, playing more aggressively in the following two sets, ultimately winning the last five games against her opponent.
The third seed faced challenges early in the match, struggling with shot control during a hot afternoon at Rod Laver Arena, where temperatures peaked at 90 degrees Fahrenheit (32 Celsius). The court was awash in sunlight, leading fans to fan themselves while Gauff tried to stay cool with ice packs and air conditioning from the player benches.
As the first set progressed, trouble mounted for Gauff as Bencic took advantage, breaking her service in the final two games of the set—which included a troubling pair of double faults from Gauff. This resulted in a total of 20 unforced errors for her. Frustrated, Gauff frequently turned toward her coaches, gesturing as if seeking guidance on what to do next.
Despite the rocky start, Gauff turned the tide after a challenging first set that lasted over an hour. She began to dominate the match, landing serve returns with precision and cutting her unforced errors significantly. By the time she took control of the second set, she had a notable 17-2 lead in winners.
Gauff’s confidence surged as she seized control of the match, inviting the audience to cheer louder after executing a reflex volley that won her a key point. “Obviously there’s still a lot to go for me to accomplish my goal,” Gauff stated, reflecting on her performance with a sense of pride.
The match showcased Bencic’s formidable skills, as she is an accomplished ball-striker despite her current ranking of No. 294. She was once ranked as high as No. 4 and had only recently returned to competitive tennis from maternity leave after a career defined by strong performances on hard courts, including a semifinal finish at the U.S. Open in 2019 and a gold medal at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics.
Bencic’s journey at the Australian Open has been challenging; she now stands at 0-3 in fourth-round encounters in Melbourne, having previously faced losses to noteworthy players like Maria Sharapova and Aryna Sabalenka.
Gauff’s next challenge awaits in the form of No. 11 Paula Badosa, who advanced to the quarterfinals after defeating Olga Danilovic 6-1, 7-6 (2). The victor of the Gauff-Badosa match will face either the top-seeded Sabalenka, aiming for her third consecutive title in Melbourne, or No. 27 Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, who was a runner-up at the 2021 French Open.
The men’s quarterfinal matchups on Tuesday feature Novak Djokovic against Carlos Alcaraz, and No. 2 Alexander Zverev facing off against No. 12 Tommy Paul. Djokovic continues to demonstrate his dominance at this venue, having secured 10 of his 24 Grand Slam titles at Melbourne Park; he recently won against No. 24 Jiri Lehecka 6-3, 6-4, 7-6 (4). Alcaraz advanced due to No. 15 Jack Draper’s withdrawal after two sets due to a hip injury.
Zverev overpowered No. 14 Ugo Humbert, winning 6-1, 2-6, 6-3, 6-2, while Paul, a semifinalist in last year’s tournament, triumphed over Alejandro Davidovich Fokina 6-1, 6-1, 6-1. Sabalenka extended her winning streak to 18 matches in Melbourne with a decisive victory over 14th seed Mirra Andreeva, finishing 6-1, 6-2. Pavlyuchenkova defeated No. 18 Donna Vekic 7-6 (0), 6-0.
The last woman to achieve three consecutive championships at the Australian Open was Martina Hingis, who accomplished this feat from 1997 to 1999. Last year, Gauff made it to the semifinals at Melbourne for the first time before being ousted by Sabalenka.
If both Gauff and Sabalenka win their respective matches, a rematch looms in the semifinals. They previously faced each other in the U.S. Open final two seasons ago, which Gauff won.
“For me, every match is a new opportunity. It’s a new game. You know, it doesn’t matter what happened in the past,” Sabalenka commented, focusing on her mindset going into her upcoming matches. “For me, it’s about staying in the moment and focusing on myself and on bringing my best game because I know that if I can bring my best game, I can get the win. So I’m trying to focus on myself.”
