By Richard Pagliaro | @Tennis_Now | Saturday, January 20, 2024
US Open champion Coco Gauff crushed Magdalena Frech 6-1, 6-2 to score her 11th straight Grand Slam win and roll into her first AO quarterfinal.
Photo credit: Daniel Pockett/Getty
Coco Gauff arrived at Melbourne Park declaring her desire for double-digit major titles.
Playing with singular focus, Gauff continues her Grand Slam streak.
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The US Open champion powered past Magdalena Frech 6-1, 6-2 to reach her first Australian Open quarterfinal in her fifth appearance down under.
It is Gauff’s 11th consecutive Grand Slam match victory—and she hasn’t surrendered a set in four tournament victories.
"First Aussie quarterfinal. Super happy to be in this position and be here," Gauff told the media in Melbourne. "I think I had three fourth rounds. It's cool to get over that hump.
"Hopefully I can keep going for more."
A red-hot Gauff cracked her two-handed backhand, smacked returns forcing Frech to play off her back foot and did not face a single break point in a 63-minute thrashing played before Aussie legend Rocket Rod Laver.
The Delray Beach-born baseliner raised her 2024 record to 9-0, eight of those nine victories have come in straight sets. The fact Gauff and long-time partner Jessica Pegula are out of the AO doubles means she should be fit and fresh for the stretch run in singles.
Starting the day as one of only three Top 10 seeds still standing, Gauff advance to a quarterfinal clash against 37th-ranked Ukrainian Marta Kostyuk.
Playing all-court tennis, Kostyuk crushed 170th-ranked qualifier Maria Timofeeva, 6-2, 6-1. Kostyuk won 21 of 29 trips to net to advance to her first career major quarterfinal. Gauff won her lone prior meeting with Kostyuk scoring a 6-3, 5-7, 6-3 in the 2022 Adelaide round of 16.
In her final Grand Slam as a teenager, the 19-year-old Gauff came out swinging and stinging the ball.
Sliding a crosscourt backhand winner for break point, Gauff’s two-hander set up a slick forehand swing volley winner to open with the break.
An overcast sky prompted AO officials to start this match with the retractable roof over Rod Laver Arena halfway closed. That amplified the searing pop of Gauff’s two-hander as she backed up the break at 15 for 2-0.
Blistering backhands crosscourt were setting up drive volleys for Gauff, who earned double break point in the fifth game.
On the second break point, Gauff shoveled a loopy drop shot that sat up, but Frech botched a backhand into net. Gauff gained the double break and 4-1 lead just 17 minutes into this fourth-rounder.
Though Frech upset big-serving 2022 WTA Finals champion Caroline Garcia in round two, she struggled to make inroads in Gauff’s serve games.
Belting a backhand crosscourt brought Gauff to double set point.
Pushed to defend off her back foot, Frech slapped a forehand into net as Gauff seized the 26-minute opener on a four-game run. Gauff hit eight winners and converted three of four break points in a lopsided set.
Carrying an ignominious 0-10 record vs. Top 10 opponents onto Rod Laver Arena, Frech was faced with the daunting task of trying to slow the onslaught from her explosive opponent.
Even when Frech lined up a pass, as she did in the fourth game of the second set, Gauff had an answer.
A lunging Gauff blocked a forehand drop volley winner capping her fourth break of the day for a commanding one set, 3-1 lead.
Down love-30 in the following game, Gauff played some higher, heavier forehands, moved the ball corner to corner and strung together four points in a row to consolidate for 4-1.
Gauff tripled Frech's winner total (21 to 7) and won 12 of 17 second-serve points. Since compatriot Caroline Dolehide pushed her to a 7-6 set in round two, Gauff has not permitted more than two games in five straight sets dropping the hammer on all comers.
This is Gauff's sixth career major quarterfinal and she aims to sustain this Slam roll.
"I would love for every match to go pretty easy. I know that's not the case," Gauff said. "US Open, every match I won was like pretty much a dogfight, it felt like. I think sometimes, I don't know if that's the ideal way to win a slam because you have to last, like, seven matches. I just think I had the physical ability and mental ability to do that.
"Going into this, I've always had the goal of trying to do better at making the first couple rounds. Not easier, but closing them in straight sets, and not putting too much stress on the mind and the body.
"I'm 19 now, but I'm not always going to be able to bounce back as quick physically or mentally probably years from now. I think it's just prepping myself. Everything I do has always been for the longevity of my career, making sure I can have a long career."