Gauff Cruises In AO Opener, Stearns Conquers Kenin
By Richard Pagliaro | Sunday, January 18, 2026
Photo credit: Australian Open Facebook
Coco Gauff played first-rate contortionist in her Australian Open opener.
Seventy-nine minutes into the match, Gauff was moving left when she suddenly shifted momentum right snaring a superb lunging volley winner.
Body control and confident baseline play propelled Gauff past Kamilla Rakhimova 6-2, 6-3 into the Australian Open second round for the sixth time.
“I’ve lost a couple of first rounds before and I’ve always been able to pick it up, so I try not to put so much pressure on myself in the first round,” Gauff told Coco Vandeweghe afterward. “At this point, I just want to win the tournament so whether I lose first round or in the finals, I don’t think I would be as satisfied.
“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.”
The third-seeded Gauff should take pride in the fact she served with more precision as this match progressed. Gauff his six of her seven double faults in the first set.
Overall, Gauff, who led the WTA in double faults last year, served 63 percent, won 73 percent (29 of 40) first-serve points and saved five of seven break points.
It was a solid start for the reigning Roland Garros champion, who patiently countered Rakhimova’s moon balls with some sharper forehand angles and stepped inside the baseline at times to belt her backhand with authority.
Gauff moved with the explosive fluidity of a woman aiming to shirk her shadow across the deep blue Rod Laver Arena court.
Arguably the fastest woman on the WTA Tour, Gauff beat Rakhimova to the ball and prevailed in most of the running rallies. Gauff charged out to a 3-0 lead. The pair traded breaks in the fourth and fifth games then Gauff pounded down a bounce smash to break again for 5-1.
On her sixth set point, Gauff smacked a serve winner down the T to close the 51-minute opening set.
The 2024 semifinalist clanked six double faults, but when Gauff made her first serve she generally dictated play. Gauff won 19 of 27 first-serve points (70 percent) in the opening set.
Terrorizing the Rakhimova second serve, Gauff won nine of 11 points played on her opponent’s second serve and broke serve three times in the opener.
Breaking in the third game of set two, Gauff held for 3-1.
An athletic eruption with that forehand stab volley , followed by a drop shot winner saw Gauff extend the lead to 5-1.
Though Rakhimova exploited a double fault to break back for 3-5, Gauff sealed the win with her sixth break.
The two-time Grand Slam champion raised her major record to 75-23. Gauff has now won 39 straight Grand Slam matches when she takes the opening set.
On a Monday that saw 20 Americans in action, Gauff advanced in 99 minutes, while a pair of seeded Americans—15th-seeded Emma Navarro and 27th-seeded Sofia Kenin—fell at the first hurdle.
The 2023 AO semifinalist Magda Linette dropped only eight points on first serve upsetting 2025 quarterfinalist Navarro 3-6, 6-3, 6-3.
In an all-American opener, Peyton Stearns slammed 15 aces against one double fault and did not drop serve stomping Sofia Kenin 6-3, 6-2.
American Ann Li converted her eighth match point subduing Camila Osorio 6-4, 6-7(5), 7-5. Credit Osorio for saving three match points when Li served for the match at 6-4, 7-5. That stand sparked Osorio through the second set. She took the tiebreaker when Li missed successive drives long.
Regrouping, Li held at 15 for a 6-5 lead in the decider then converted her eighth match point on an Osorio error. Li will play Linette in the second round.
Peyton Stearns d. (27) Sofia Kenin, 6-3, 6-2
In an all-American opener, Peyton Stearns slammed 15 aces against one double fault and did not drop serve stomping Sofia Kenin 6-3, 6-2.
It was the former Texas Longhorn’s first career Australian Open win. Across the net, 2020 Australian Open champion Kenin suffered her sixth straight AO match defeat.
Since Kenin beat Garbine Muguruza in a pulsating 2020 AO final, she’s gone 1-6 at Melbourne Park.
Stearns, who looked supremely fit and attacked with her topspin forehand, reached the AO second round for the first time in three appearances Down Under.
“My serve was really good in the last two weeks,” Stearns told ESPN’s Kris Budden afterward. “I feel it was kind of there and today it showed up. So I feel the work paid off.
“You kind of have to embrace the stress and chaos—it’s a lot—but I think at the end of the day I have a good team around me.”
The 52nd-ranked Stearns will play either Petra Marcinko or Tatjana Maria in round two.
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