American tennis sensation Coco Gauff advanced to the fourth round of the Australian Open with a commanding 6-4, 6-2 victory over Canada's Leylah Fernandez. The match took place on a thrilling day in Melbourne, where Gauff extended her remarkable winning streak to 12 matches. Meanwhile, Naomi Osaka's journey came to an abrupt halt due to injury, allowing Belinda Bencic to progress.
Gauff, ranked world number three, showcased her dominance on the court, defeating the 30th seed Fernandez in just 1 hour and 16 minutes. This victory marked her eighth consecutive win this season without dropping a set, adding to her impressive performance at the United Cup earlier this year. Despite having faced Fernandez before and securing a 6-3, 6-2 win, Gauff acknowledged the challenge presented by her opponent.
“I think it was harder because she knew what to expect, and I definitely think she played a little bit different today than at the United Cup,” – Gauff
Fernandez, who reached the third round in Melbourne for the first time and was a US Open finalist in 2021, could not overcome Gauff's relentless form. Gauff expressed her respect for Fernandez's skills and competitiveness.
“Leylah is a great competitor, great player, great person so I knew today was going to be a tough match regardless of the result a couple of weeks ago.” – Gauff
As Gauff prepares for her next encounter with Belinda Bencic, she remains focused on maintaining her winning streak. Bencic, ranked 294 at the start of the Open, advanced after Osaka retired due to an abdominal strain. The injury had previously forced Osaka out of the Auckland final and continued to trouble her throughout the tournament. Before her withdrawal, Osaka had attempted to manage her condition with daily therapy sessions.
“It’s not fantastic and I’m feeling not great, not bad. In the middle somewhere,” – Osaka
Osaka's departure from Melbourne Park marked an unfortunate end to her campaign at a venue where she clinched titles in 2019 and 2021. She had managed to advance through two rounds despite the discomfort but decided to prioritize her health.
“It was a little hectic trying to manage it (during the tournament) because obviously my draw was quite tough. But we were also doing everything we could. I was going to therapy every day and into the night. So the days have been very long for me. Obviously after my last match it got way worse.” – Osaka
Bencic expressed empathy for Osaka's situation, noting the difficulty of witnessing a fellow player in distress.
“I really feel for Naomi, I saw her struggling a little bit at the end of the set and obviously it’s not the way you would like this match to end,” – Bencic
Bencic also shared positive sentiments about Osaka's future prospects.
“I thought it was a good match, so hopefully she’ll be fine soon and she can play well for the rest of the season.” – Bencic
Gauff's upcoming match against Bencic will provide another opportunity to assess her readiness for greater challenges ahead, including a potential clash with the world number one and double defending champion later in the tournament. Gauff aims to surpass her previous best performance at Melbourne Park when she reached the semifinals last year before losing to Aryna Sabalenka.
