Melbourne, Jan 23 (.) Third seed Coco Gauff produced a dominant comeback to advance to the fourth round of the 2026 Australian Open, defeating US player Hailey Baptiste in three sets at the Margaret Court Arena on Friday.
Gauff recovered from a set down to register a 3-6, 6-0, 6-3 victory.
The 21-year-old began the match positively, breaking serve in the opening game, but Baptiste responded strongly to level the contest. With the first set locked at 3-3, Baptiste seized the initiative, capitalising on a lapse in Gauff’s serve to pull away and take the set.
Facing the prospect of an early exit, Gauff raised her intensity in the second set, delivering a commanding performance marked by aggressive returns and consistent baseline play.
A pivotal fourth game, lasting nearly 15 minutes, saw Gauff apply sustained pressure, forcing a series of unforced errors from Baptiste as she surged to a flawless 6-0 set.
Gauff maintained control in the decider, breaking serve at key moments to seal the match and secure her place in the last 16 of the season’s opening Grand Slam.
“[Hailey] played so well in the first set, I wasn’t too upset [to drop it]. I just said: if she plays like this the whole match and I can’t raise my level, then good job to her,” Gauff said, speaking on court.
“I was able to raise my level, and I’m happy with how I stayed mentally calm through that,” she added.
Gauff will take on Karolina Muchova in the fourth round at the 2026 Australian Open.
. VAN ARN