World No. 3 Coco Gauff is set to begin her quest in the Australian Open, going up against Uzbeki-Russian unseeded player Kamilla Rakhimova in round 1 at the Rod Laver Arena on Monday. Gauff is eyeing a first Grand Slam win down under after previously conquering Roland Garros and the US Open in 2025 and 2023, respectively.
In contrast, Rakhimova hasn’t had a favorable run in the warm-up events of the Australian swing and will be hoping for a miracle against the 21-year-old American, who had put up a strong performance for Team USA in the United Cup earlier.
Coco Gauff vs Kamilla Rakhimova Head-to-Head & Matchup Keys
Gauff holds a perfect record against her first-round opponent, although they have only met once before. That meeting came in the second round of the China Open-Beijing in September 2025, where the American made light work of the Uzbeki player, dispatching her in straight sets, 6-4, 6-0.
Comparing their hard-court winning percentages from 2025, Gauff (76.3%) holds a considerable advantage over Rakhimova (36.3%). Extrapolating that record across the entire 2025 also shows Gauff with a healthy advantage in winning percentage against Rakhimova.
Gauff vs Rakhimova Prediction And Top Bets
It seems like a one-sided affair given the dominance of the two-time Grand Slam champion in recent years. The World No. 3 regrouped after an early loss in the United Cup and led Team USA until the semifinals, where they fell to the eventual champions, Poland.
The highlight of the semi-final was Gauff beating World No. 2 Iga Swiatek in straight sets, which will be a huge morale boost heading into the Australian Open. In contrast, Rakhimova couldn’t get past the qualifying stage at both Brisbane and Adelaide, so Gauff should beat her Uzbeki counterpart in straight sets on Monday.
Best bet: Coco Gauff to win the most games in the match -6.5 (-135)
Gauff vs Rakhimova: Odds
| Player | Moneyline | Total Games |
| Coco Gauff | -2000 | Over 17.5 (-140) |
| Kamilla Rakhimova | +800 | Under 17.5 (-105) |
Odds sourced from BetMGM
Note: The odds could change closer to the game. The odds listed are based on available information at the time of publication.
Pick: Gauff in two sets.
Match Snapshot
Fixture: (USA) Coco Gauff vs (UZB) Kamilla Rakhimova
Date: January 19, 2026
Tournament: Australian Open
Round: Round 1
Category: Grand Slam
Venue: Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne Park, Australia
Surface: Hard
Prize Money: $2.79 million
Live Telecast: USA – Tennis Channel | UK – Sky Sports | Canada – TSN, RDS
Also read:
Naomi Osaka Issues Shock Health Update Before Australian Open
Andy Roddick Defends Coco Gauff Over Blown-Up Fan Comment Controversy Before Australian Open Starts
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