Coco Gauff remains undefeated with victory at the Australian Open

On By Littum

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Coco Gauff extended his unbeaten start to 2025 to seven matches and 14 sets by entering the third round at Australian Open with a 6-3, 7-5 win over 173rd-ranked Jodie Burrage of Great Britain at Rod Laver Arena on Wednesday.

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Coco Gauff of the United States plays a backhand return to Jodie Burrage of Great Britain during their second round match at the Australian Open tennis championships in Melbourne, Australia, Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian)

Gauff, that one 2023 US Open champion and a semifinalist at Melbourne Park a year ago, went through a bit of a rough patch in the second set, battling double faults and losing four straight games to go from a 3-1 break up to a 5-3 break down.

But when Burrage served in the second set, Gauff regained control, using a four-game run of his own to end the contest.

“It was tough. She was earning really well, so I was just trying to cope, honestly,” she says no. 3-seeded Gauff said. “She really stepped up in the middle of the second set, so I just tried to be offensive when I could.”

Gauff hit six of her seven double faults in the second set, but was far steadier at the baseline overall, finishing the 1 1/2-hour match with 11 unforced errors on the ground compared to 37 for Burrage.

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Jodie Burrage of Great Britain reacts during her second round match against Coco Gauff of the United States at the Australian Open tennis championships in Melbourne, Australia, Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian)

Each of Burrage’s last two service games ended with a double fault; there were two straight to make it 6-5.

From there, Gauff finished the job as she continues to try to find improvements with her serve and forehand, two shots she has focused on since the end of last season.

“She returned well, so that put pressure on me on my serve,” Gauff said. “If I landed any card, she landed a winner.”

Add four straight wins en route to the title at the WTA Finals in November – including straight-set victories over No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka and no. 2 Iga Swiatek – and Gauff’s winning streak is now 11 games.

Part of that run was also a win at the United Cup team competition against the 20-year-old American’s next opponent: no. 30 Leylah Fernandezthere was runner-up to Emma Raducanu at US Open 2021.

Fernandez came back to defeat Cristina Bucsa 3-6, 6-4, 6-4 on Wednesday.

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AP tennis: