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.