American tennis player Coco Gauff suffered her second consecutive Grand Slam loss, falling to Spanish opponent Paula Badosa 7-5, 6-4 in the Australian Open quarterfinals. The match marked a turning point for Gauff, who has been struggling with her forehand and found herself on the receiving end of an aggressive approach by Badosa.
Despite being considered the Grand Slam veteran, Gauff was unable to capitalize on her strengths, as Badosa’s bold tactics proved decisive. The Spanish player, who had previously overcome a potentially career-ending injury, seized on every shortish ball and showed remarkable resilience to push through the match.
Gauff acknowledged that she still has work to do, citing her forehand as an area of improvement. However, she expressed optimism about her progress, stating that she is on the right path after a recent winning streak of 22-2 between the U.S. Open and her loss at the Australian Open.
Badosa’s victory marked the biggest Grand Slam win of her career, and she credited her ability to focus on herself rather than getting distracted by her opponent or the atmosphere with her success. Gauff will now look to rebound at the French Open in May, where she hopes to continue her upward trajectory.
Source: https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6076711/2025/01/20/coco-gauff-australian-open-result-analysis-paula-badosa