Coco Gauff, the third seed at the Australian Open, showcased her resilience by overcoming serving difficulties to win against Kamilla Rakhimova. The match ended with a score of 6-2, 6-3. Gauff, despite her serving struggles, demonstrated significant skill and power on the court.
Coco Gauff’s Serving Struggles
Throughout the match, Gauff exhibited familiar issues with her serve. Known for her double faults, she recorded six in the first set alone, improving to just one in the second set. In 2025, she accumulated a staggering 431 double faults, leading the WTA Tour in this category. The second most double faults by any other player did not exceed 300.
Upcoming Challenges
In the next round, Gauff will face left-handed Olga Danilovic, who recently triumphed over 45-year-old Venus Williams. Gauff acknowledged the difficulty of this upcoming match, emphasizing Danilovic’s experience against top players.
Other Notable Matches
- No. 4 seed Amanda Anisimova won against Simona Waltert with a score of 6-3, 6-2.
- No. 6 Jessica Pegula defeated Anastasia Zakharova 6-2, 6-1.
- No. 14 Clara Tauson won 6-3, 6-3 against Dalma Galfi.
- Peyton Stearns eliminated former champion Sofia Kenin 6-3, 6-2, marking Kenin’s fifth straight first-round exit at the Australian Open.
- No. 15 Emma Navarro lost in three sets to Poland’s Magda Linette.
Men’s First-Round Highlights
Among the men, No. 7 seed Felix Auger-Aliassime of Canada retired from his match against Nuno Borges of Portugal. Auger-Aliassime struggled with cramping early in the third set, ultimately conceding the match while down 3-6, 6-4, 6-4.
Other successful players included:
- Daniil Medvedev, a three-time Australian Open runner-up, beat Jesper de Jong 7-5, 6-2, 7-6 (2).
- No. 19 seed Tommy Paul advanced by defeating Aleksandar Kovacevic 6-4, 6-3, 6-3.
- Local favorite Alex de Minaur, the No. 6 seed, won against Mackenzie McDonald 6-2, 6-2, 6-3.
The Australian Open continues to present thrilling matches and unexpected results as players vie for the title.
