When you’re rooting for everybody Black, then you couldn’t lose last night in the third round of the Australian Open. Number 4 ranked Coco Gauff faced off against Alycia Parks, who’s currently ranked No. 82. After winning straight sets, Gauff is advancing into the fourth round.
The two childhood friends faced off against one another, but Gauff dominated. According to ESPN, “Gauff played an almost flawless match as she beat Parks in 61 minutes, making just eight unforced errors to the 34 of her less experienced opponent.” She defeated Parks “without losing a single game” in the first set, going 6-0 and 6-2 for the second.
After the tournament, Gauff described how “[i]t was tough to kind of put something into action.”
In discussing her game plan, she said, “I was really just trying to do what I do against everybody else: keep the ball deep, open up the court and try to move her as much as I could.”
“I don’t think she [Parks] played her best tennis today. I know when she’s at her best, she’s a tough player to play,” Gauff continued.
“The scoreline says different, but she’s a tough player, hits the ball big,” Gauff added. “I’ve known her since I was eight or nine years old, probably younger than that! It’s our first time ever playing juniors or pros, so hopefully we can have many more matches in the future.”
Now, Gauff is advancing to the next round of the tournament. The reigning U.S. Open champion is having a stellar season thus far, with an 8-0 record. The 19-year-old is currently tied with tennis great “Serena Williams for the third-longest streak by an American teenager in the Open Era.”
Gauff has now won 10 straight Grand Slam matches in a row, and this will be her third time appearing in the fourth-round of the Australian Open. If Gauff wins her next match against Poland’s Magdalena Frech it will mark the first time Gauff plays in the quarterfinals at this tournament.
During a post-game interview, Gauff talked about her fresh perspective on competing at Grand Slams, “As you get later [in the tournament], the trophy gets closer and closer…You have to treat it as it’s as far away as it is in the first round.”