‘I hate to flex’ – Coco Gauff equals stunning 32-year record with outrageous boast on the skill no one can match
A set down, it was looking like a familiar story in the fourth round for Coco Gauff. The American was eliminated at this stage in the previous two Grand Slams but got over the hump to reach the Australian Open quarterfinals and make history in the process. Coco Gauff shares her unique achievement on tour. Gauff was far from her best in her Round of 16 bout with Belinda Bencic on Saturday night but battled on to overturn a one-set deficit and beat the Swiss 5-7 6-2 6-1 to reach the last-eight in Melbourne. She returns to action on Tuesday, when she will face 11th seed Paula Badosa for a place in the semifinals. Such has been the American’s form, Gauff had not dropped a set before playing Bencic, the 2020 Olympic champion who was playing in her first Grand Slam since returning from the birth of her first child. The 27-year-old capitalized on Gauff’s inability to hold serve at 6-5 and went on to win the first set tie break. However world No.3 Gauff came out storming in the second set, racing into a 3-0 lead, and maintaining a tempo that saw her drop just three games across the next two sets and subsequently win the match. Gauff reflected on the progress she has made when it comes to come-back wins, admitting that in the past a first-set loss meant she lost the match. “It’s funny because I felt like a couple of years ago I had a really bad flat line, where if I lost the first set I’d lose the match, and I remember my Dad was like: You have to get some fight in you,” the American said after the match. “So every time I think about that and dig deeper.” The 20-year-old’s victory also served to continue her unbeaten start to 2025, making it nine consecutive victories for the third year in a row. A feat only Monica Seles, Margaret Court, Steffi Graf and Serena Williams have enjoyed, although Gauff is the youngest player to achieve this milestone since Seles herself in 1993. “It’s pretty crazy to be amongst the same stat line as legends and I’m very grateful,” the No. 3 seed said in her on-court interview. Coco Gauff and Belinda Bencic following their fourth round match Coco Gauff’s signature New Balance shoes “We worked hard in the off-season. Obviously, there is a long way to go for me to achieve my goals, but I can say I’m proud of myself and how I perform.” The number three seed also went on to boast about a unique achievement, flexing her deal with New Balance that sees her have something no-else has. “I have to flex, but I am the only current active player with a signature shoe on tour” the American added. “Me and New Balance are always looking to do things that haven’t been done on tour, so I’m really happy about it. I want them to be basketball shoes.” Gauff will now face Badosa of Spain on Tuesday for a place in the semifinals for a second successive year. “Every time I play Paula it’s a tough match. She’s playing great tennis. Last time we played it went three sets. I expect it to be another tough match.” Gauff reached the last four in Melbourne and at Roland Garros last year, but was stopped at the fourth round stage at both Wimbledon and the US Open. Aryna Sabalenka looms as her potential opponent in the last four – the same player who ended her title hopes in Melbourne last year but Gauff boasts a 5-4 lead in the head-to-head. The American beat the world no.1 to reach the WTA Finals at the end of last year, while Sabalenka was also the opponent as Gauff claimed her first Grand Slam title in New York in 2023.
A set down, it was looking like a familiar story in the fourth round for Coco Gauff.
The American was eliminated at this stage in the previous two Grand Slams but got over the hump to reach the Australian Open quarterfinals and make history in the process.
Gauff was far from her best in her Round of 16 bout with Belinda Bencic on Saturday night but battled on to overturn a one-set deficit and beat the Swiss 5-7 6-2 6-1 to reach the last-eight in Melbourne.
She returns to action on Tuesday, when she will face 11th seed Paula Badosa for a place in the semifinals.
Such has been the American’s form, Gauff had not dropped a set before playing Bencic, the 2020 Olympic champion who was playing in her first Grand Slam since returning from the birth of her first child.
The 27-year-old capitalized on Gauff’s inability to hold serve at 6-5 and went on to win the first set tie break.
However world No.3 Gauff came out storming in the second set, racing into a 3-0 lead, and maintaining a tempo that saw her drop just three games across the next two sets and subsequently win the match.
Gauff reflected on the progress she has made when it comes to come-back wins, admitting that in the past a first-set loss meant she lost the match.
“It’s funny because I felt like a couple of years ago I had a really bad flat line, where if I lost the first set I’d lose the match, and I remember my Dad was like: You have to get some fight in you,” the American said after the match.
“So every time I think about that and dig deeper.”
The 20-year-old’s victory also served to continue her unbeaten start to 2025, making it nine consecutive victories for the third year in a row.
A feat only Monica Seles, Margaret Court, Steffi Graf and Serena Williams have enjoyed, although Gauff is the youngest player to achieve this milestone since Seles herself in 1993.
“It’s pretty crazy to be amongst the same stat line as legends and I’m very grateful,” the No. 3 seed said in her on-court interview.
“We worked hard in the off-season. Obviously, there is a long way to go for me to achieve my goals, but I can say I’m proud of myself and how I perform.”
The number three seed also went on to boast about a unique achievement, flexing her deal with New Balance that sees her have something no-else has.
“I have to flex, but I am the only current active player with a signature shoe on tour” the American added.
“Me and New Balance are always looking to do things that haven’t been done on tour, so I’m really happy about it. I want them to be basketball shoes.”
Gauff will now face Badosa of Spain on Tuesday for a place in the semifinals for a second successive year.
“Every time I play Paula it’s a tough match. She’s playing great tennis. Last time we played it went three sets. I expect it to be another tough match.”
Gauff reached the last four in Melbourne and at Roland Garros last year, but was stopped at the fourth round stage at both Wimbledon and the US Open.
Aryna Sabalenka looms as her potential opponent in the last four – the same player who ended her title hopes in Melbourne last year but Gauff boasts a 5-4 lead in the head-to-head.
The American beat the world no.1 to reach the WTA Finals at the end of last year, while Sabalenka was also the opponent as Gauff claimed her first Grand Slam title in New York in 2023.
