Coco Gauff’s Australian Open campaign is officially underway and she safely came through her first round match against Kamilla Rakhimova.
The American quickly nipped her serving woes in the bud in the first set and dropped just five games on her way to victory.
Gauff’s performance lived up to her tag as one of the favourites for the Australian Open, where she will likely fight it out with Iga Swiatek and Aryna Sabalenka.
The star hit a brand-new record after her solid victory against Rakhimova on the Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne.
Coco Gauff hits WTA Tour level record at the Australian Open
Gauff’s victory against Rakhimova ensured the American reached a remarkable 250th professional win, despite still only being 21 years of age.
Gauff has become the youngest player to reach that number since 2011, according to statisticians, OptaAce.
Caroline Wozniacki managed the feat at a slightly younger age in 2011, when she was 20 years and 316 days.
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Gauff picked up her 250th win at 21 years 311 days, so she missed out on Wozniacki’s record by just under a year.
The American, buoyed by hitting yet another WTA landmark, will play Olga Danilovic in the second round, after she produced a superb comeback to defeat Venus Williams.
The tie is set to take place on Wednesday, 21 January, with the order of play yet to be confirmed in Melbourne.
Coco Gauff will not have a better chance to reach a Grand Slam quarter-final
Gauff was given a pretty straightforward section when the draw was first made for the Australian Open, but it has now become even easier.
The American’s section of the draw features no players inside the top 10, with Emma Navarro and Karolina Muchova the other seeds in section 3.
Navarro has fallen at the first hurdle, which has given Gauff the chance of reaching the quarter-finals without playing a player inside the top 15 of the rankings.
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Should Gauff find a way past Danilovic, she will play the winner of Storm Hunter and Hailey Baptiste in the third round.
The fourth round is when she will likely face Muchova, although Linette could be an outside chance on the side of the section. Linette defeated Navarro and will play Ann Li in the second round.
Whoever ends up playing Gauff in the fourth round, her progress through the tournament could not be more straightforward.
