“`html
MELBOURNE, Australia — Coco Gauff’s impressive run at the Australian Open came to an end as she faced off against Belinda Bencic in the fourth round. Gauff, however, managed to bounce back from an early setback, clinching a comeback victory with a score of 5-7, 6-2, 6-1 on Sunday. This win keeps her hopes alive for a second Grand Slam title.
Following her victory, Gauff expressed her feelings by drawing a broken heart on the lens of a courtside TV camera, along with the text “RIP TikTok USA,” referencing the ongoing ban of the popular app in America.
The 20-year-old Floridian, who notably secured the 2023 U.S. Open title as a teenager, had dominated her competition leading into this tournament, winning all 16 sets she played in the new year and 24 out of her last 25 sets dating back to the end of the previous season, which also included a championship at the WTA Finals.
Reflecting on her performance against Bencic, Gauff admitted, “In the first set, she played great tennis, and it was tough for me to be on the offense.” After losing the first set, she turned the match around by playing more aggressively in the subsequent sets, claiming the last five games against her opponent.
Seeded No. 3 in the tournament, Gauff struggled with her shot control in the early stages of the match, particularly under the hot afternoon sun at Rod Laver Arena, where temperatures soared to 90 degrees Fahrenheit (32 Celsius). Spectators tried to stay cool as Gauff sought relief from air conditioning and put an ice pack on her face during breaks.
As the first set progressed, Gauff faced difficulties, suffering breaks in her last two service games, partly due to a pair of double faults. She ended up with an alarming total of 20 unforced errors. Frustrated by her own mistakes, she often turned towards her coaches with an exasperated look, questioning what she could do differently.
After an extended first set, Gauff found her rhythm, regaining control by aggressively targeting her returns and strategically placing her shots from the baseline. Notably, she halved her unforced errors in the second set while delivering an impressive 17-2 ratio of winners.
By the match’s conclusion, Gauff was firmly in control and encouraged the crowd to cheer her on after winning a point with a quick volley during the final game. Gauff remarked, “Obviously there’s still a lot to go for me to accomplish my goal, but I can say that I’m proud of myself and happy with how I performed.”
It’s worth noting that Bencic, currently ranked No. 294, is an exceptional player despite her ranking. The 27-year-old Swiss woman returned to competitive play in October after taking maternity leave, previously reaching as high as No. 4 in the world. Her notable achievements on hard courts include reaching the semifinals at the U.S. Open in 2019 and winning a gold medal in singles at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021. However, she has yet to advance past the fourth round at the Australian Open.
Next up for Gauff is a quarterfinal matchup against No. 11 Paula Badosa, who booked her spot in the final eight after defeating Olga Danilovic 6-1, 7-6 (2). The winner of this match will go on to face either the tournament’s top seed, Aryna Sabalenka—who is pursuing her third consecutive Australian Open title—or No. 27 Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, a previous French Open finalist.
In the men’s draw, the first quarterfinal clash features No. 2 Alexander Zverev facing off against No. 12 Tommy Paul. Zverev, a two-time major runner-up, won against No. 14 Ugo Humbert 6-1, 2-6, 6-3, 6-2, while Paul, a semifinalist in Australia last year, triumphed over Alejandro Davidovich Fokina with a quick 6-1, 6-1, 6-1 victory.
No. 3 Carlos Alcaraz advanced after No. 15 Jack Draper withdrew from the match due to a hip issue, and he will next challenge either 10-time Australian Open champion Novak Djokovic or No. 24 Jiri Lehecka.
Meanwhile, Sabalenka extended her winning streak in Melbourne to an impressive 18 matches by overcoming 14th-seeded Mirra Andreeva with a convincing scoreline of 6-1, 6-2. Additionally, Pavlyuchenkova defeated No. 18 Donna Vekic, finishing with a score of 7-6 (0), 6-0.
Moving into the women’s tournament, the last player to achieve three consecutive Australian Open titles was Martina Hingis, who accomplished this feat from 1997 to 1999. Last year, Gauff reached the semifinals in Melbourne Park for the first time, ultimately losing to Sabalenka, and should fate allow, they may meet again in the same round this year.
Reflecting on her upcoming matches, Sabalenka commented, “For me, every match is a new opportunity. It’s a new game. You know, it doesn’t matter what happened in the past.” She added, “I’m trying to focus on myself and on bringing my best game because I know that if I play my best, I can get the win.”
“`
