True Class on Display as Coco Gauff and Paula Badosa Share Heartwarming Messages After Intense Australian Open Match

Coco Gauff‘s hot streak is over! The 13-match winning streak came to an end today in the Australian Open quarterfinals. Paula Badosa, playing like a true champion, took her down 7-5, 6-4. Honestly, it wasn’t a total shock. The 2024 WTA Comeback Player has been playing amazing tennis lately. This is her first Australian Open semifinal. After the match, both players were super classy on social media, showing a lot of respect for each other.

Gauff entered the match at Rod Laver Arena with a flawless 9-0 record in 2025 and a 13-match winning streak that began at the WTA Finals in November. The 20-year-old had dropped just one set en route to the AO quarter-finals, but her unforced errors plagued her game against Badosa. Gauff recorded 41 unforced errors, including six double faults. One of these double faults handed Badosa a crucial break to go up 5-2 in the second set. The 28 missed forehands also proved decisive.

After the match, Badosa shared heartfelt emotions for Badosa on the Instagram story, captioning, “It’s always a pleasure to share the court with you. I really admire you and you are a true champion! For many more battles @cocogauff ❤️.” Gauff reposted the message with her own kind words, replying, “Thank you ❤️ you’re a great competitor and even better person, good luck the rest of the way 🙏🏾”

This victory over Gauff marks a significant milestone for Badosa, her first over a top-10 player at a Grand Slam, boosting her ranking to No. 9 in the world. All four of Badosa’s career wins against Gauff have come in straight sets. Having lost to Gauff twice last season from a set ahead- on clay in Rome and in the fall in Beijing which tournament Gauff went on to win- Badosa didn’t want to face the loss again and made it possible to not let it happen for the third straight time.

The 27-year-old Badosa, came back following a career-threatening back injury last year and was 0-2 in her career in major quarterfinals before she handed Gauff her first loss of 2025 in 1 hour 45 minutes inside Rod Laver Arena.

Badosa surely seemed visibly emotional after her victory and shared how much the moment meant to her. “Today I came in, and I wanted to play my best game, and I think I did it,” Badosa said post-match. “Coco, at the beginning, she was playing insane tennis, but I’m super proud of the level I gave today. A year ago, I was here with my back [injury] that I didn’t know if I had to retire from this sport, and now I’m here, playing the best in the world. I won today, I’m in the semifinals, and I never would think that a year later, I would be here,” she expressed.

Now, Gauff will build momentum for the rest of the season after exiting from the Australian Open. How?

Coco Gauff thinks there is “a lot more work to do” after Australian Open QF loss

Reflecting on her match performance in the post-match press conference, Gauff praised Badosa’s play but also noted how critical moments in the match shaped the outcome. “Paula [Badosa] was playing great. Maybe some moments in the first set could have gone my way, could have been a different outcome in the first set, but yeah, I think there’s just a lot more work to do,” Gauff admitted.

While the loss was disappointing, Gauff remains optimistic about her future. “I’m obviously disappointed. But I’m not completely crushed. I’m looking forward to a lot,” she added, keeping her focus on upcoming tournaments.

Gauff also acknowledged the fine margins in the match, saying, “I feel like it’s just who can do better in those key moments., and today, she did better in those key moments.” Gauff expressed a sense of progress, particularly compared to her earlier exit, as the U.S. Open. “Even though I lost today, I definitely feel like I’m on an upward trajectory,” she said. Even with Tuesday’s loss, Gauff has won 22 of her last 25 matches.

Despite the setback, Coco Gauff is taking the long view. She plans to rest before preparing for the Hologic WTA Tour’s swing through the Middle East in early February, with back-to-back WTA 1000s at the Qatar Total Open and Dubai Duty-Free Tennis Championships. She will look to improve on last year’s R32 exit from Qatar Open. With a packed season ahead, Gauff is poised to turn this early disappointment into a stepping stone for future success.

“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 next match at Australian Open 2025: TV schedule, scores, results for USA tennis star’s tournament

Coco Gauff will come into the 2025 Australian Open with ambitions of winning her second Grand Slam title and, in the process, jumping to the top of the WTA rankings.

Only 20, the young American star already has a US Open (2023) title to her impressive resume and reached the Australian Open semifinals last year.

The World No 3 has played herself into some great form going into the season’s first major. Having clinched the WTA Finals to finish 2024 on a high, Gauff began the new season by leading her country to United Cup title.

Here is everything you need to know about Coco Gauff’s appearance at the Australian Open 2025, including the latest results from the tournament.

When is Coco Gauff’s next match at Australian Open 2025?

Gauff will take on compatriot Sofia Kenin in the first round of the Australian Open 2025. The day for the match is yet to be determined, with it likely to take place on Monday.

Match schedule, results from Australian Open 2025

How to watch Coco Gauff at Australian Open

• TV channel: ESPN, Tennis Channel
• Live stream: Fubo, ESPN+

Coco Gauff’s next match will air on ESPN and Tennis Channel nationally. Tennis fans can also stream the match on Fubo and ESPN+.

Fubo offers a free trial for new subscribers so you can try the service before you buy.

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Australian Open 2025 schedule

The first round of matches at the Australian Open 2025 will get underway on Sunday, January 12. The tournament will conclude on Sunday, January 26.

Coco Gauff Australian Open results

Here is how far Coco Gauff has advanced each year at the Australian Open:

The last time most casual tennis fans saw Coco Gauff, her US Open title defense had ended in devastating fashion with a fourth-round loss to fellow American Emma Navarro, the same opponent who knocked her out at Wimbledon.

But what a difference four months makes.

After another change in her coaching team, some minor technical adjustments and a little bit of confidence, Gauff enters the Australian Open this week as one of if not the favorite to take home her second Grand Slam title.

It’s been a fascinating journey for the 20-year-old Floridian. After a largely disappointing summer, including a medal-less trip to the Paris Olympics and several early-round losses, something clicked for Gauff last fall. She won the China Open, a prestigious WTA 1000 event, then backed it up by winning a record $4.8 million payday at the WTA Finals in Saudi Arabia.

More importantly, she finished the season with wins over her two biggest rivals in that event, beating No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka and No. 2 Iga Swiatek, who had beaten Gauff in 11 of their previous 12 meetings.

It wasn’t a fluke.

At the United Cup a little more than a week ago to open the 2025 season, Gauff once again beat Swiatek, 6-4, 6-4, helping Team USA win the title and making a major statement that their previously one-sided rivalry had turned.

“Obviously this start of the season gives me a lot of confidence,” she told reporters. “I feel like when I’m playing confident tennis I’m playing great tennis.”

Everything about Gauff’s game looks improved since separating from ESPN analyst Brad Gilbert as her primary coach and adding Matt Daly, a former Notre Dame player who is known as a grip specialist. It has led to Gauff deploying a steadier and more punishing forehand, while fixing some issues with the serve that gave her so much trouble last year.

Barring a pretty big upset in the early rounds, Gauff should be on for a semifinal showdown with Sabalenka, the two-time defending Australian Open champion.

Here are four more things to know about the first major of the tennis season, beginning Saturday evening in the U.S.:

Carlos Alcaraz goes for the career Slam

You have to be a pretty special talent to win two majors in a season and the Olympic silver medal but still come out of 2024 feeling like it was a slight disappointment. But that’s kind of where Alcaraz found himself last year as he battled some injuries, inconsistent stretches and lost significant ground in the rankings to No. 1 Jannik Sinner.

But after adding the Roland Garros title to his haul last spring, the 21-year-old Spaniard needs only an Australian title to complete the career Grand Slam. That’s something only eight men have done, and Alcaraz still has three more chances to displace Rafael Nadal (24 years, 102 days) as the youngest to pull it off.

Alcaraz has not had great success in Australia, but it’s probably just a matter of time. The question for 2025 is whether he’ll show improved proficiency on a fast hard court, where his inability to get easy points with the serve has put him at a slight disadvantage in the past.

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.

How Coco Gauff Is Cementing Her Status as a Top Tennis Player Following Her Latest Title with the U.S

Coco Gauff cemented her place as one of tennis’ most exciting young stars as she led the United States to victory in the 2025 United Cup in Sydney, playing a key role in clinching the title. The 20-year-old world number three delivered a clinical performance over Iga Świątek in the opening women’s singles match, setting the tone for a thrilling final.

Gauff’s 6-4, 6-4 triumph over Świątek was not just a crucial win for the U.S. but also a testament to her remarkable rise in the sport. This victory marked her second consecutive win over the Polish star, having also defeated her in the WTA Finals in Riyadh just two months ago. Świątek, struggling with a recurring thigh injury, called for a medical timeout at 5-4 down in the second set. However, the injury plagued her throughout the match, and she ultimately left the court in tears, visibly distressed by the loss.

After the match, Gauff reflected on her growing belief in her ability to compete at the highest level. “I think I have the belief that I am one of the best players in the world. When I play good tennis, it’s hard for me to be beaten,” she said, a comment that spoke volumes about her confidence and her ability to rise to the occasion.

Not only did Gauff remain undefeated in singles and doubles throughout the event, but her composure under pressure was evident as she helped her team secure the first point of the final. “Today I think I played great tennis, and I’m happy to get a point for my team on the board,” Gauff added. “It was tough today. I’m not gonna lie.”

Her performance was a far cry from the vulnerability we sometimes see in younger players. Gauff has now firmly established herself as one of the top players in the game, and her ability to handle such pressure, especially in a team event like the United Cup, demonstrates her maturity.

After Gauff’s victory, it was up to Taylor Fritz to seal the deal for the U.S. in the men’s singles, and while the task seemed monumental, Fritz rose to the occasion. His 6-4, 5-7, 7-6 (7-4) win over Poland’s Hubert Hurkacz wrapped up the title for the U.S. with a tense third-set tie-break. Fritz dug deep when it mattered most, especially at 3-3 in the tie-break, hitting clutch shots to help the Americans secure a 2-0 win in the final.

The win marked a back-to-back United Cup title for the United States, adding another chapter to their dominance in this mixed team event. While Fritz’s triumph was certainly notable, it was Gauff’s clinical and dominant play that set the foundation for the U.S. victory.

Writer’s Comments:

Coco Gauff’s rapid rise to prominence is not just an exciting story for American tennis; it is an inspiring narrative for the entire tennis world. From a teenager thrust into the spotlight, Gauff has blossomed into a player whose talent is now matched by her mental fortitude. Her win over Świątek at the United Cup, a player she now has a winning record against, speaks volumes about Gauff’s readiness to challenge the very best in the sport.

It’s not just about the victories she’s racking up—it’s about the way she plays the game. Gauff’s demeanor on court, her calm in the face of pressure, and her belief in her abilities make her one of the most intriguing players to watch as she heads into the Australian Open. If this performance is anything to go by, Gauff is not just a future star; she is one of the best players in the world right now, and her future is brighter than ever.

American tennis star Coco Gauff said she feels confident going into the upcoming Australian Open following a bright start to the new season as she helped her country win its second United Cup title in three years.

Gauff delivered a clutch singles victory over Poland’s Iga Swiatek in the final of the mixed-teams United Cup tournament to give the Americans a 1-0 lead before Taylor Fritz defeated Hubert Hurkacz in men’s singles to wrap up the contest.

The 20-year-old Gauff was in terrific form at the tournament in Sydney as she did not drop a set in five singles matches.

With her victory over five-time major winner Swiatek, Gauff repeated her feat from the WTA Finals in Riyadh by topping the Pole for the second time in a row.

“Obviously, the start of the season gives me a lot of confidence,” Gauff said ahead of the Australian Open, which begins on January 12. “I feel like when I’m playing confident tennis, I’m playing great tennis.

“I definitely feel confident going into AO.”

In the build-up to the Australian Open, Gauff skipped the WTA 250 event in Auckland to compete at the United Cup, reasoning that the tournament offered better competition.

Gauff reached the semi-finals of the Australian Open in 2024, losing to Aryna Sabalenka, who went on to lift the title. The American youngster said that winning her first Grand Slam title at the U.S. Open in 2023 gave her belief that she could win more majors.

“Honestly, before every Grand Slam I have the belief that I can win,” said Gauff. “And especially after the US Open, I proved that I could do it. I definitely have a belief that I can win.”

In 2024, Gauff made a positive start with semi-final finishes at the Australian and French Opens but suffered a dip in results when she was knocked out in the fourth round at Wimbledon and the third round at the Paris Olympics.

She also suffered early exits in Toronto and Cincinnati and did not defend her U.S. Open title, undergoing a fourth-round exit, which prompted her to split from coach Brad Gilbert.

The shake-up in coaching revived her fortunes as soon after Gauff won the China Open in October and her maiden WTA Finals title the following month.

“I’m realizing more and more each day that tennis is not a measure of my value as a person. I think the more you realize that the more relaxed these tournaments become,” said Gauff.

“I’m still going to experience pressure. It’s easier said than done.”

Ranked third in the WTA rankings, Gauff is expected to be one of the title challengers to Sabalenka at the 2025 Australian Open.

The world No. 1 is aiming for her third-straight major in Melbourne and comes into the opening Grand Slam of the season on the back of the best year of her career in which she also won the U.S. Open.

Gauff will be a major threat to Sabalenka, especially given the American’s great record on hard courts, with eight of her nine career singles titles coming on the surface.

Coco Gauff explains why she was ‘a little bit worried’ heading into the 2025 United Cup

Coco Gauff looks to secure the United States their second United Cup title in three years.

There are few players in tennis with bigger star power than Gauff, who continues to impress with every year that goes by.

The American had another strong year on the WTA Tour in 2024, finishing the year as world number three.

At just 20 years of age, Gauff won her second WTA 1000 title, as she beat Karolina Muchova in China, to kick off a strong end to the year.

Gauff then won the WTA Finals to cap off a brilliant season, taking home the second-biggest title of her young career.

A great performance, and one that Gauff is looking to take inspiration from as she competes in the United Cup for the first time, although she has now admitted how she felt before making her tournament debut.

Coco Gauff admits she was ‘worried’ ahead of playing top 30 opponents at the United Cup

Speaking following Team USA’s 3-0 victory over Croatia at the United Cup, Gauff explained why she was worried before playing her first tournament of the year.

“Yeah, I was a little bit worried, like, having to start the season off against, like, tough opponents, but obviously I think I managed pretty well,” she said.

“Yeah, I can’t ask for anything else, definitely a productive start against two really great players.”

The world number three beat Leylah Fernandez in her opening match at this year’s United Cup before Gauff and Taylor Fritz beat Fernandez and Felix Auger-Aliassime in the mixed doubles to seal the tie for Team USA.

The American then beat Donna Vekic in the opening match against Croatia, before she successfully teamed up with Fritz once more to secure their spot in the quarter-finals.

“I thought we both played solid singles, and then the mixed was a great match,” said Gauff.

“I think overall we played well, and hopefully we can keep this momentum throughout the rest of the tournament, especially tomorrow.”

Who will Coco Gauff and Team USA play in the 2025 United Cup quarter-finals?

Having won Group A, Team USA are set to take on the best-ranked second-placed team from ‘Perth’, China.