The year 2024 is on the horizon and the action-packed madness is just about to get going in tennis. With the start of the new year, tennis will bring a ton of opportunities starting first at the Australian Open. The very first grand slam of the year will feature some of the best names in the world competing for the coveted trophy. One among them will be the American sensation Coco Gauff. After a mediocre start to the season, the young American went ahead and stunned everyone in the later half as she bagged her first-ever grand slam at the US Open.
That being said, she would be hoping to carry her superb run of form. Reflecting on the same, a major tennis journalist recently came ahead and talked about her chances of winning the title here in Australia.
Tennis journalist reflects on whether Coco Gauff can win the Australian Open or not
There are many reasons which clearly suggest that Coco Gauff could be one of the top contenders going into the Australian Open. Top tennis journalist Matt Trollope recently discussed Coco Gauff’s chances at the upcoming Australian Open. He suggested that changes in her coaching team which saw her bringing in Pere Riba and Brad Gilbert, quickly made an impact. They changed some small things in her game but mainly focused on making the most of her strengths, giving her a new mindset that’s paying off.
Next, he mentioned that Wimbledon has been a turnaround moment for her. After a tough loss at Wimbledon to Sofia Kenin, Gauff turned things around. She won an impressive 24 out of her last 28 matches in 2023. This included a stunning 16-match winning streak, where she won titles at Cincinnati and the US Open, taking her all the way to the Beijing semifinals. Her winning streak showed her determination and boosted her confidence big time.
Adding next to the list, he suggested that Gauff has been a force on hard courts. Throughout the year, she has won 40 out of her 51 matches on this surface in 2023. Her success rate on hard courts soared to 82%, showing she’s really comfortable playing on that type of court.
Over the years, Australia has been a happy hunting ground for Gauff. In her last four trips down under from 2020 to 2023, she’s won 18 out of 27 matches. And she’s taken down some big names there, including Venus Williams, Naomi Osaka, and Emma Raducanu.
There’s a trend that suggests Gauff might do even better at the Australian Open this time. In recent years, players who won big tournaments didn’t always do well at the next one. But in 2023, something changed. Three times in a row, major champions reached at least the quarterfinals in the next Slam they played. That’s a good sign for Gauff.
So, as the tennis world gears up for the Australian Open, there’s a lot of excitement around Gauff’s chances. Her refreshed mindset, newfound confidence, dominance on hard courts, success in Australia, and the positive trend in major tournaments all point towards a potentially big breakthrough for her at Melbourne Park. This sets the stage for an exciting chapter in Gauff’s quest for Grand Slam success.
