“At the end of the day, you’re just playing the ball. Try to take the person out of it and play the ball that comes to you…” said a confident Jodie Burrage on her next opponent, World No.3 Coco Gauff, after clearing the first round at the 2025 Australian Open. Well, the match day has arrived for these two WTA pros. The 2024 WTA Finals winner will go against 156-ranked Brit in the Round of 64 on January 15 at the Rod Laver Arena. The 2023 US Open Winner Gauff has been in sensational form lately. However, Burrage is no slouch either, given her dominant performance in the Round of 128. So who’s going to proceed forward?
Coco Gauff vs Jodie Burrage: Preview
Last season was a bit up and down for Coco Gauff. She began 2024 with a stellar win at the ASB Classic, before making it to the SF round of the 2024 Australian Open as well. In June, she even succeeded in reaching the last eight of the French Open, but couldn’t advance further after losing to five-time Major winner Iga Swiatek.
In between came a dry run when she didn’t win a title. But the drought ended soon in October. She won the China Open after defeating Czechia’s Karolina Muchova in the final. She wrapped up the 2024 season in style with a title win at the WTA Finals in Riyadh, in November. Not to mention the fact that she maintained her position in the top 3 in the world rankings as well.
But the 20-year-old American didn’t stop there and led her country to a second United Cup title earlier this month, starting the new season on a high. In the event’s final, she beat Iga Swiatek with an impressive scoreline of 6-4, 6-4. In her 2025 Australian Open campaign, Gauff easily went past compatriot Sofia Kenin. She beat the latter 6-3, 6-3, and moved into the second round. Can she continue this winning momentum forward?
Speaking of the 25-year-old Jodie Burrage, she won one singles title last season. The WTA pro lifted the trophy at the ITF United Arab Emirates 01A in December. After that, Burrage has been in good, if not excellent, touch lately. In 2025, she started her journey with the ASB Classic in Auckland. There, she lost in the second round of qualifying but entered the main draw as the lucky loser. In the first round, she beat New Zealand’s Vivian Yang. In the next one, however, she lost against World No.68 Hailey Baptiste. Burrage even made it to the qualifying draw at the Adelaide International. There, she lost to Canada’s Leylah Fernandez. Coming onto her Australian Open campaign, she beat France’s Leolia Jeanjean 6-2, 6-4 on Monday.
Guaff vs Burrage: Head-to-Head
The 2023 US Open Winner and the Brit have crossed paths only once on a professional level. And guess what? The American is leading the tally 1-0.
- 2023 Eastbourne International R16: Gauff; 6-1, 6-1
Prediction: Gauff to win in straight sets
Apart from her impressive match results in recent days, Coco Gauff‘s record at the first Major in Melbourne has been quite decent. Out of the 18 matches played here, she’s won 13 of them so far. Her serving skills have been on another level lately. Thanks to her accuracy and fine movement on the court, she’s managed to emerge victorious, irrespective of her opponents. Her title victories in the WTA Finals, the United Cup, and the first round of the ongoing Major make it evident. In the last few months, her athleticism, defense, and strong stroke-making abilities have elevated her in a league of her own.
As for Jodie Burrage, she will be playing in the second round of the Australian Open for the first time. In last year’s edition, she made her Grand Slam debut where she was eliminated too early by Germany’s Tamara Korpatsch. Since 2021, she has won only two matches at the Grand Slams in her five main draw appearances. Last season, she remained out of action for most of the time due to persistent injuries, which means she will have to play out of her skin against Gauff who thrashed Kenin in straight sets in the first round.
Coco Gauff looks to be a clear favorite in this encounter. It’s also because of her impressive h2h record against Burrage. At the Rod Laver Arena, the 20-year-old may wrap things up in straight sets!
