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Third-seeded Coco Gauff had immoderate acquainted struggles connected service but had inactive capable people and powerfulness to decision Kamilla Rakhimova 6-2, 6-3 connected Monday (January 19, 2026) successful a first-round lucifer astatine the Australian Open.
Gauff has won 2 Grand Slam titles but has ne'er gone past the semifinals astatine Melbourne Park. She was knocked retired successful the quarterfinals past year.
The American has struggled with double-faults and had 431 successful 2025 connected the WTA Tour, by acold the astir of immoderate player. No 1 other had much than 300. Gauff had six successful the archetypal acceptable successful the triumph implicit Rakhimova, and lone 1 successful the 2nd set.
The 21-year-old Gauff has been reworking her service for the past respective months and practiced immoderate much during a comfortableness interruption successful the lucifer astatine Rod Laver Arena with Rakhimova.
Gauff faces left-handed Olga Danilovic successful the 2nd round. Danilovic defeated 45-year-old Venus Williams connected Sunday successful a first-round match, which erased the anticipation of the 2 Americans facing off.
“There's not galore (left-handed players) connected Tour, but Olga's a large player, she's bushed immoderate apical players truthful it's going to beryllium a pugnacious match,” Gauff said.
Aryna Sabalenka is seeded No. 1 successful Australia followed by Iga Świątek.
Sofia Kenin's mediocre caller tally astatine the Australian Open continued arsenic she mislaid 6-3, 6-2 to fellow-American Peyton Stearns.
Kenin, the No.27 seed, was a daze victor present successful 2020, but has since struggled astatine Melbourne Park losing successful the archetypal circular for the 5th consecutive time.
Stearns fired 15 aces, for conscionable the 1 treble fault, arsenic she cruised done to the 2nd circular successful 1 hr and 14 minutes. She volition play Petra Marcinko of Croatia next.
In an aboriginal effect connected the men's side, No. 7 effect Felix Auger-Aliassime of Canada retired successful his lucifer with Nuno Borges of Portugal. Borges led 3-6, 6-4, 6-4 aft conscionable implicit 2 hours erstwhile the 25-year-old walked to the nett to shingle hands. The Canadian seemed to conflict with a limb wounded done the match.
