John McEnroe has named his two favourites for the Australian Open title on the WTA Tour.
The first Grand Slam of the 2025 season is in full swing and fans are eager to see who will emerge victorious at Melbourne Park.
On day four of the Australian Open, the action featured two of the WTA’s top three players, Coco Gauff and Aryna Sabalenka.
They are arguably the two most in-form players on the women’s circuit and John McEnroe thinks it will take a special performance to stop them in Melbourne.
Does John McEnroe think Coco Gauff can beat Aryna Sabalenka at the Australian Open?
Coco Gauff is playing some of the best tennis of her career at present. The 20-year-old has lost just two matches since the US Open and has won three titles since her exit at Flushing Meadows.
But a grip change and some alterations to the forehand and serve has seen an improvement in her game and the American is a top contender to take the Australian Open title.
However, standing in her way is the World number one and two-time defending champion in Melbourne, and John McEnroe assesses where Gauff can end Aryna Sabalenka’s winning run in Melbourne.
“Obviously Sabalenka is playing incredible tennis and she is playing with more confidence. She has worked hard to add more variety to her game, because obviously she has so much power,” McEnroe told Eurosport.
“But I think Coco is in a better place than she has been in her career right now. She had a great run with Brad Gilbert, won an Open, but let him go after the Open.
“She has a bit of a new team here. She is thinking more on her own now, growing up, she is absolutely a threat. Those are the two players for me – one of those two is going to win it.”
Coco Gauff battles past Jodie Burrage to reach Australian Open third round
Gauff booked her spot in the third round of the Australian Open after beating Jodie Burrage 6-3, 7-5.
The World number three was not at her fluent best and had to navigate a challenging period in the second set when Burrage raised her level.
The Brit even served for the second set but Gauff battled back to win four successive games to secure victory.
Post-match, the 2023 US open champion commented on her opponent’s spirited display and what she did to come through the contest.
“She was serving really well, so I was just trying to manage that, honestly,” Gauff said in her on-court interview. “All the first-serve points, I was starting off on defense.
“She really stepped her level up in the middle of the second set, so I was just trying to be offensive when I could.”
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