Jet Set: Gauff Soars Into AO Third-Round Clash vs. Baptiste

By Richard Pagliaro | Wednesday, January 21, 2026
Photo credit: Australian Open Facebook

Record-setting attendance has marked the first four days of this Australian Open.

Today, Coco Gauff turned Margaret Court Arena into a proving ground—and squeezed Olga Danilovic out of safe space.

The third-seeded Gauff jetted out to 5-0 first-set lead and 3-0 second-set lead, landing into round three with a 6-2, 6-2 sweep of a sloppy Danilovic.

“I missed a backhand to go up 5-0 but other than that—it was perfect,” Gauff told Christopher Eubanks. “I saw Carlos yesterday and I’m trying to drop shot like him…It’s a good shot until I miss it.”

Playing clean combinations, Gauff won 26 of 31 first-serve points and committed just 16 errors—18 fewer than Danilovic, who came out sailing her shots beyond the baseline.

Two-time Grand Slam champion Gauff will play compatriot and good friend Hailey Baptiste in an all-American third round clash.

Baptiste stopped Aussie qualifier Storm Hunter, 6-2, 6-1, in a confident 63-minute triumph. World No. 70 Baptiste, who beat compatriot Taylor Townsend in her opener, more than tripled Hunter’s winner output—24 to 7—as she reached the AO third round for the first time in three appearances.

Fast starts to both sets propelled Gauff in a convincing win.

Three of the first four games went to deuce with Gauff winning them all to go up a double break at 4-0.

Working the ball corner-to-corner, Gauff made Danilovic move. 

Then, the reigning Roland Garros champion stamped a strong hold, spinning a forehand winner to hold at 15. Gauff extended her lead to 5-0 after just 21 minutes of play.

The left-handed Serbian, who reeled off six games in a row defeating 45-year-old wild card Venus Williams in her three-set opener, began to clean up her act.

After spraying the ball all over the court for the first five games, Danilovic held in the sixth game.

Gauff sent a forehand long and slapped her second double fault of the game to surrender serve as Danilovic crept closer at 2-5. 

The 2024 AO semifinalist was imposing her advantage in running rallies. Another Danilovic dilemma: her lefty crosscourt forehand feeds into Gauff’s strongest shot, the backhand. Leaning into her two-hander Gauff lashed a winner for a second set point.

When Danilovic double faulted, Gauff snatched the 37-minute opening set.

Gauff took charge on first serve.

The 21-year-old American won 14 of 18 first-serve points, but only one of seven second-serve points in the opening set. Still, the longer rallies favored the speedy Gauff in this first meeting between the pair.

The 2023 US Open champion charged out to a 3-0 second-set lead. Gauff, who won 12 of 13 first-serve points in the second set, continued to crack crosscourt backhands stretching the slower Serbian into the corner.

Gauff closed a 77-minute win on one final Danilovic error.