Coco Gauff secures straight-sets victory over Sofia Kenin at Aussie Open

Vegas Tennis Team
3 Min Read

MELBOURNE, Australia — Coco Gauff faced a bit of a challenge adapting to the sunlight at one end of the iconic Rod Laver Arena, resulting in an early dropped service game. However, she quickly found her groove, overcoming the obstacle to secure a solid 6-3, 6-3 victory on Monday against 2020 champion Sofia Kenin.

As the tournament’s third seed, Gauff is riding a wave of momentum after clinching the WTA Finals title last November and playing a pivotal role in the U.S. team’s triumph at the United Cup just last week. With this kind of form, she’s eyeing a shot at the top of the world rankings.

Representing her style with flair, Gauff donned a striking Marvel-themed bodysuit and skirt at Melbourne Park, exuding both confidence and poise on the court.

“I was aware it would be a tough match, but I’m really pleased with my performance today,” she reflected on her 1-hour, 20-minute battle against Kenin, who ranks No. 81 but proved to be a formidable competitor.

“I could definitely serve better, but I struggled to see the ball on that side,” Gauff noted, gesturing towards the baseline that was brightly illuminated by the sun. “All in all, I’m just glad I managed to push through it.”

Entering her first-round contest with an impressive streak of 33 match wins against players ranked outside the Top 50, Gauff is looking to continue her dominance since her last encounter with Kenin at Wimbledon 2023.

The match began with a rocky start as Gauff initially converted an early break but saw Kenin fight back to level at 2-2. Kenin exhibited powerful groundstrokes and benefitted from favorable bounces off the court.

Nonetheless, Gauff elevated her game, increasing her tempo and consistently striking the ball earlier. Eventually, she clinched four out of the next five games, wrapping up the match with a commendable tally of 12 aces, nine double-faults, and an impressive 28 winners, including two blazing backhands during crucial moments in the second set.

For Kenin, the road in Australia remains tough; this marks the third consecutive year she has faced a Grand Slam champion in the first round, as well as her fourth straight early exit.

Looking ahead, Gauff is set to face Britain’s Jodie Burrage next. Other players advancing include No. 12 Diana Shnaider and No. 25 Liudmila Samsonova.

After a somewhat chaotic Day 1 filled with over six hours of rain delays, Monday promises to be action-packed, featuring matches from 10-time Australian Open champion Novak Djokovic, defending champion Jannik Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz, and women’s No. 2 Iga Swiatek.

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