The No. 3 seed, Coco Gauff, has advanced to the second round of the Australian Open, defeating Sofia Kenin in a recent match.
Tennis star Coco Gauff defeated the 2020 champion Sofia Kenin with 6-3 points in the first-round match at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne on Monday, January 13, 2025.
With her remarkable performance, Gauff has advanced to the second round of the Australian Open.
Now, she will play against Brit Jodie Burrage on Wednesday (January 15).
🚨 Coco Gauff starts strong at the Australian Open 2025! 🎾
— Sportify (@Sportify777) January 13, 2025
The 3rd seed takes down Sofia Kenin in straight sets to advance to the 2nd round. 🔥✨ #GAUFFvKENIN #AO2025 #Sportify pic.twitter.com/weUp718qYs
After winning the match, the 2023 U.S. Open champion Coco stated that it was tough for her as Sofia Kenin, at No. 81, is a much more formidable opponent than her ranking suggests.
“I knew going in it was going to be difficult, but I’m happy with how I played, I mean I could serve better, but like on that side I was struggling yo see the ball, so i ‘m just happy that i was able to manag through that.”
Via nbcsports
This year hasn’t been so great for Sofia Kenin; last week, she lost to Aussie star Maya Joint in Hobart, and now Coco Gauff has defeated her.
As for Gauff, she had a challenge last season. Nevertheless, her performance has significantly improved over time.
This season, Coco helped the U.S. win the United Cup last week and helped her team win gold against Poland.
In the final, Gauff defeated world number 2 Iga Swiatek in straight sets and archived titles at the China Open.
Tennis Star Coco Gauff Comes From An Athletic Family!
Coco Gauff was born Cori Dionne Gauff on March 13, 2004, in Atlanta, Georgia, to mother Candi Odom Gauff and father Corey Gauff.
Coco is following in her parents’ footsteps in sports, who are both former athletes.
Her mother, Candi Odom Gauff, excelled at Track and Field at Florida State University.
Candi was a gymnast before becoming a track star at Florida in the late 80s and early 90s.
Candi also won the two-time South Florida Sun Sentinel Athlete of the Year title before competing on FSU’s track and field team from 1988 through 1992.
Likewise, her heptathlon performance in 1991 is still considered one of the best scores in FSU history.
Regarding Coco’s father, Corey Gauff played basketball at Georgia State University and is regarded as Coco’s primary coach.
Her father originally wanted her and her siblings to play basketball, but seeing Coco’s passion for tennis, he helped and guided her to pursue her career in tennis.
Similarly, Corey and Candi quit their jobs to help Coco pursue tennis; they left Atlanta and moved back to their hometown of Delray Beach, Florida, for their oldest daughter.
Candi left her job as a primary teacher at Educa-system in Atlanta, Georgia, and started homeschooling Coco, while Corey transitioned from his role as a healthcare executive to becoming his daughter’s head coach.
According to Corey Gauff’s LinkedIn profile, he is currently EVP of sales, marketing, and clinical account management at Remedi SeniorCare Pharmacy.
Moreover, Coco is not the only member of the Gauff family pursuing a career in sports; her younger brother, Codey Gauff, is an exceptional baseball player.
Born on September 21, 2007, Codey is a switch-hitting catcher from Delray Beach, Florida.
Codey recently announced his decision to commit to playing for the University of Missouri baseball team.
In Case You Didn’t Know
- Coco Gauff began her tennis journey at six, inspired by tennis star Serena Williams.
- She won the USTA Clay National 12-and-under title at 10 and became the youngest champion in the tournament’s history.
- Coco began her professional career in 2018 and debuted on the ITF Women’s Circuit in May 2018 at 14 as a qualifier. She won her first professional match at the $25k event at Osprey.
