No. 3 seed Coco Gauff began her campaign in the Australian Open with a convincing victory over Kamilla Rakhimova from Uzbekistan. The match took place on Monday at Rod Laver Arena.
Match Overview
Gauff secured a 6-2, 6-3 win, marking her seventh appearance at the Australian Open. The match lasted 1 hour and 39 minutes, improving her first-round record at Grand Slam tournaments to an impressive 23 wins and 4 losses.
Key Stats
- Gauff’s overall Grand Slam match wins: 75
- Match duration: 1 hour, 39 minutes
- First set games reaching deuce: 5 of 7
- Double faults in the first set: 6
- Points won on second serve: 27%
- Break points faced: 6 (saved 5)
Match Highlights
Despite the decisive score, the match was more competitive than it appeared. Gauff faced difficulties serving early on, including numerous double faults. She managed to navigate through challenging moments, winning critical points to maintain her lead.
The second set started favorably for Gauff, who quickly transformed a 1-0 deficit into a commanding 5-1 lead. However, Rakhimova fought back, pushing Gauff to serve for the match after a four-deuce service game.
Consistency Against Lower-Ranked Players
This victory extends Gauff’s winning streak to 22 matches against players ranked outside the Top 50 in the WTA Rankings at Grand Slams. Her only loss in recent years to a player outside the Top 50 was against Sofia Kenin at Wimbledon three years ago.
Upcoming Match
Looking forward in the tournament, Gauff will face World No. 69 Olga Danilovic, who defeated Venus Williams in a closely contested match on Sunday. This sets the stage for Gauff’s next challenge in the Australian Open.
