Coco Gauff has kicked off her 2026 Australian Open campaign in fine fashion with a convincing opening-round win. The American is feeling confident moving forward, especially with what she calls a key advantage she has picked up thanks to Alexandra Eala.
Gauff is aiming for her third Grand Slam title and her first in Melbourne, and the opening hurdle in that quest was Kamilla Rakhimova. The American faced the Uzbekistani on Monday, January 19, and came through comfortably with a 6-2, 6-3 win.
She will next face Olga Danilovic, who knocked out Venus Williams in the opening round, and she’s approaching the matchup with confidence. Speaking in her on-court interview, Coco Gauff said that having practiced with leftie Alexandra Eala should help her adjust well to Danilovic’s game, who is also a leftie.
“I did practice with Alex Eala earlier. Hopefully, that practice will help me in tomorrow’s match playing with a leftie,” Gauff said. “There’s not many on tour, but like you said, Olga is a great player. She has beat some top players, especially at this tournament, so it’s gonna be a tough match, but I am looking forward to it.”
Gauff and Eala share a strong camaraderie. Their bond began last year when they decided to debut as a doubles pair at the Italian Open, after the Filipina reached out to the American with a message on Instagram.
Coco Gauff Vows to Stay ‘Proud’ Of Herself Despite Australian Open 2026 Outcome
After her first-round win against Kamilla Rakhimova at the 2026 Australian Open, Coco Gauff spoke with compatriot CoCo Vandeweghe and shared her approach to the match. She explained that she drew lessons from her past first-round matches and focused on not putting too much “pressure” on herself.
Gauff said:
“I think ‘Well, I lost a couple first rounds before.’ I’ve always been able to pick it up. I try not to put so much pressure on myself at the first round. I think at this point I just want to win the tournament. Whether I win first round or in the finals, I don’t think I’ll be as satisfied. So until then, I’m ok.”
The third seed then revealed that, while winning is the only truly “satisfying” result for her, she’s also okay if she doesn’t come out on top. She would be proud of the effort she put in, no matter the outcome.
“I said in my press conference that winning is the only satisfying result. But that doesn’t mean I’m not proud of myself throughout the tournament. I think I’ll only be satisfied if I win. But I’m also proud of myself regardless of how I do in the tournament,” Coco Gauff said.
