Melbourne (Australia), January 21 (LaPresse) – American tennis player and world number 3, Coco Gauff, was eliminated in the quarterfinals of the Australian Open by Spain’s Paula Badosa, ranked 11th in the world, with a score of 7-5, 6-4. Gauff entered Rod Laver Arena riding a 13-match winning streak that dated back to her title at the WTA Finals in November. The 2023 U.S. Open champion had dropped only one set in four matches at Melbourne Park this year.
However, against Badosa, she made 41 unforced errors, including six double faults—one of which came on the match’s final point, allowing Badosa to go up 5-2 in the second set—and 28 missed forehands. “I feel like at the U.S. Open, I was playing without solutions, and that was the most frustrating part," Gauff said after the match. "Today, I know what I need to work on. At the U.S. Open, I had to work on my serve. I’m not saying my serve is perfect now, but I’ve worked on it, and I’ve obviously made great improvements. I want to continue working on that aspect and playing more aggressively.”
“I feel like I’m on the right path,” added the American player. “Even though I lost today, I feel like I’m on an upward trajectory.”
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