Gauff begins Australian Open campaign with straight-sets win

Coco Gauff defeated Kamilla Rakhimova 6–2, 6–3 in the Australian Open first round. The two-time major champion completed the match in one hour and thirty-nine minutes at Rod Laver Arena, making use of her strong return game despite seven double faults.

Gauff broke six times and repeatedly recovered when her own service games became less secure. Rakhimova resisted late in both sets, but the American’s ability to create further chances on return allowed her to finish the contest without a third set.

The result was Gauff’s seventy-fifth Grand Slam main-draw victory and earned a second-round meeting with left-hander Olga Danilovic. Gauff said she wanted to accelerate more freely through her serve in subsequent matches and remained focused on winning her first title in Melbourne.