American tennis star Coco Gauff has navigated a potentially tricky opening hurdle at the Australian Open, securing a straight-sets victory over Uzbekistan's Kamilla Rakhimova. The third seed triumphed 6-2, 6-3 on Rod Laver Arena to book her place in the second round of the year's first Grand Slam.
A Solid Start Despite Serving Challenges
The match began inauspiciously for Gauff, who is looking to add an Australian Open title to her maiden US Open crown. Her service game, which has been a focal point of recent technical adjustments, showed immediate signs of fragility. She struck three double faults in her very first service game, a reminder of the issues that prompted a mid-season coaching change last year.
Despite the rocky start, the 21-year-old demonstrated her champion's mentality by gritting out a hold. From there, she leaned on the other formidable aspects of her game. Her supreme defensive skills, court sense, and a much-improved forehand allowed her to dominate from the baseline. Gauff smartly picked her moments to attack, consistently outmanoeuvring Rakhimova, a Russian-born player who switched nationality to Uzbekistan this year.
Grand Ambitions Calm First-Round Nerves
Speaking after the match, Gauff revealed that her lofty ambitions for the tournament help her manage the pressure of early rounds. "I have lost in first rounds before and I've always been able to pick it up," she said. "I try not to put so much pressure on myself in the first rounds. I think at this point, I just want to win the tournament. So whether I lose first round or in the final, I think that will be as satisfying. So, until then, it's OK."
This mindset underscores a player who has rapidly matured from a prodigious talent into a proven major winner. The last five months have seen significant change, with Gauff hiring biomechanics specialist Gavin MacMillan to remodel her serve after parting ways with a previous coach.
Looking Ahead to the Second Round
After failing to serve out the match at her first opportunity, Gauff responded in characteristic fashion, immediately breaking Rakhimova's serve for the sixth time to seal victory with minimal drama. The win sets up a second-round clash on Wednesday against Serbian qualifier Olga Danilovic, who caused an upset by defeating former world number one Venus Williams in her opening match.
While the serve remains a work in progress, Gauff's all-court game and defensive resilience proved more than enough against Rakhimova. As she progresses in Melbourne, she will be confident that her world-class backhand and newfound aggression can carry her deep into the draw once more, as she pursues her stated goal: winning the tournament.
