Coco Gauff has quickly become one of the players to beat on the WTA Tour, alongside the likes of Aryna Sabalenka and Iga Swiatek.
Gauff is the new world number three following the conclusion of the United Cup, where she impressed once more.
Named the United Cup MVP in 2025 as the USA won the title, Gauff helped her nation reach this year’s semifinals.
Gauff beat Swiatek but Poland recovered to win the tie, with the 2025 runners-up going on to win the tournament with their final win over Switzerland.
Prove us wrong…
Jessica Bouzas Maneiro loses to world number 204 after Coco Gauff shock
Just like Switzerland star Belinda Bencic did this year, her WTA rival Gauff won all five of her singles matches last time out.
But that wasn’t the case this time around, with Gauff losing to Jessica Bouzas Maneiro in the group stage clash between the USA and Spain.
She secured a shock 6-1, 6-7(3), 6-0 victory over the two-time Grand Slam champion after two hours and 11 minutes, during which the American hit 14 double faults.
The victory would have provided Bouzas Maneiro with a real confidence boost for her next tournament, the Hobart International.
But the Spaniard failed to build on her United Cup momentum, with the fifth seed losing her opening match to Taylah Preston exactly one week later.
Australian Preston, who won the encounter in Hobart 6-4, 7-6(7-4), is currently 204th in the WTA rankings.
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Coco Gauff faces major barrier to maiden Australian Open success
Gauff won’t be too worried about her upset against Bouzas Maneiro, although it will have allowed her to see what needs to be improved at this stage of the season.
Of course, it is still very early in the campaign, but the American will be delighted to have shone overall at the United Cup.
She will still be working on her serving struggles behind the scenes, having been plagued by double faults in recent years.
But momentum is on her side at the Australian Open, with semifinal and quarterfinal runs enjoyed in the last two seasons.
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She’s also back into the WTA top three just before the Grand Slam gets underway, and has the honor of being the highest-ranked American at the tournament.
That puts extra pressure on her young shoulders, but the 21-year-old has proven maturity beyond her years time and again, both on and off the court.
However, Aryna Sabalenka will once again likely represent a major barrier to Australian Open success for Gauff.
Sabalenka just won the Brisbane International, and has reached the last three finals in Melbourne, winning two.
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