Fresh off winning the United Cup team event with the United States in Australia, Coco Gauff is an “equal favorite” with two-time defending champion Aryna Sabalenka to win the Australian Open, one leading analyst says.
“Clearly Sabalenka has let everybody know she’s the favorite going in, but also Coco Gauff looks to me as equal as a favorite as I’ve seen in a Grand Slam for a while,” ESPN’s Rennae Stubbs said Tuesday on an ESPN conference call.
Gauff, 20, is the world No. 3 entering Melbourne but is playing perhaps the best tennis of her career after parting ways with former coach Brad Gilbert after losing to Emma Navarro in the fourth round of the U.S. Open last September. She’s now being coached by Matt Daly, who previously worked with Denis Shapovalov.
In December, she won the WTA Finals for the first time by rallying to beat Olympic champion Zheng Qinwen 3-6, 6-4, 7-6 (2) in the final. She took home a record $4.8 million with the title.
Gauff opened 2025 by winning the singles title at the United Cup along with USA teammate Taylor Fritz. She beat world No. 2 Iga Swiatek 6-4, 6-4 in the final for her second straight win over the Polish star.
“Coco seems to be sort of getting her mojo back and playing as well as she played, or close to it, as when she won the [U.S.] Open [in 2023],” John McEnroe said on the call.
Gauff won all six matches, not dropping a set en route. After her victories, she pulled out the shovel celebration to the delight of the Sydney crowds.
“I have the belief that I’m one of the best players in the world. When I play good tennis, I’m hard to beat,” said Gauff, who also beat Leylah Fernandez, Donna Vekic, Zhang Shuai and Karolina Muchova in the event. “Today I think I played some great tennis. I’m glad I was able to get a point for Team USA. It was tough today, I’m not going to lie.”
Stubbs says Gauff is playing the best tennis of her career.
“I think Coco looks as good now as she did when she won the U.S. Open,” Stubbs said. “She is hitting the forehand with such confidence, she’s not freaking out when the ball is going there, when someone is drilling it there. She’s using the loop really well. She doesn’t miss a ball from the back of the court.
“Her biggest issue is her second serve, and at the United Cup, her serve was really solid and good. Under pressure in Melbourne, the United Cup is still an exhibition, but there was a lot on the line, and her beating Iga now two times in a row, that mentally sets her up to feel like she can beat Iga in a big match.”
A year ago, Gauff lost in straight sets to Sabalenka in the Australian Open semifinals after beating her in the U.S. Open final. She may have to get through Sabalenka again to hoist the trophy.
“The next step is beating Sabalenka at the Australian Open, and Sabalenka has looked pretty damned good in Australia over the last couple of years,” Stubbs said. “But for me, Coco is playing as well as I’ve ever, ever seen her, and her fitness is off the charts.”
