The US Open champion returned to the early-season final, losing just two points on her first serve.
Coco Gauff’s momentum is such that no delay—not a brief one due to weather, nor the duration between the last season and this one—can seemingly stop her.
The 19-year-old wunderkind proved that again on Saturday in Auckland, where she returned to the final with a never-in-doubt, 6-3, 6-1 victory over compatriot Emma Navarro.
Navarro, 22, boasts a career-high ranking and, as such, momentum of her own. She entered this semifinal having won her last six sets.
No matter. She was flattened by Gauff, who struck 10 aces, dropped just two of 30 first-serve points, and saved the only two break chances Navarro earned.
“Utterly dominant,” said Tennis Channel’s Jason Goodall, in a succinct and declarative statement that mirrored Gauff’s performance.
A weather delay in the first set did nothing to change Navarro’s fortunes. The match itself ended in just 62 minutes, with Gauff looking stronger as it went on, and, frankly, overall.
“A good start to my 2024,” said Gauff, who had never faced Navarro in the pros, and will next face either No. 2 seed Elina Svitolina or Xiyu Wang in the final. “Emma’s an incredible player, we’ve played each other when I was like 12 years old.”
Gauff has picked up right where she left off following her breakthrough 2023, winning all eight sets she’s played in Auckland. None of them have stretched beyond 6-4.
“Being aggressive, and really my serve and return,” Gauff said when asked about what’s been encouraging about her game thus far. “I knew I had to be at my best game if I wanted to win.”
Gauff looks well on her way to defending her Auckland title—and if she keeps up this type of play on hard courts, an Australian Open title might be within reach as well.
