Coco Gauff, a self-professed “huge Marvel fan”, has soared into the second round of Australian Open 2025 with a 6-3 6-3 win over Sofia Kenin in an outfit that nods to her penchant for superheroes.
“A lot of the female superheroes have cool cutouts on their outfits so that’s what I wanted to do,” said the American, explaining that her top is actually a bodysuit.
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“If you can’t hold your bladder, it’s also not a good idea but you know, you have to sacrifice for fashion,” she laughed. The 20-year-old was also wearing footwear inspired by basketball shoes, a tribute to the sport her dad wanted her to play.
The third seed, who donned a Deadpool costume for Halloween last year and has appeared on the cover of a Marvel comic, took an hour and 20 minutes to navigate past AO 2020 champion and world No.74 Kenin, at Rod Laver Arena.
“It was a tough match for me today, I knew going in it was going to be difficult but I’m happy with how I played,” Gauff said.
She struck 28 winners including 12 aces, which helped offset her nine double faults. Gauff won 77 per cent of her first serve points and saved five of six break points to outmanoeuvre Kenin, who had chances to level the second set at four games apiece.
“I did a good job of mixing my serve up, especially on the deuce side,” she said.
Gauff began the 2025 season with victory at the United Cup as part of Team USA, where she scored a straight-sets upset over Iga Swiatek in the final.
The American said her teammate Taylor Fritz’s unwavering belief elevated her game. “You’re going to win and I’m going to win,” Gauff recalled the 27-year-old Californian, seeded fourth here, saying in Perth and Sydney.
“I think he's someone that everybody should look out for this year because he's playing some great tennis,” she added. “With that mentality, I feel like he can go as far as he wants.”
And while the AO 2024 semifinalist isn’t putting too much emphasis on her current ten-match winning streak, she admitted that it certainly helps her positive mindset.
“Sometimes when there’s tough moments, I just remind myself that I’ve done it before, and hopefully I can do it again,” she said. “You just have to have belief in yourself and not expectations for yourself.”
Waiting for Gauff in the second round is Great Britain’s Jodie Burrage, who earned her first ever victory at Melbourne Park by dismantling French qualifier Leolia Jeanjean 6-2 6-4.
Despite dropping just two games to Burrage in their only prior meeting, Gauff said she’s expecting a challenge against the 25-year-old as she continues her quest to become the first American AO singles champion since Kenin.
“She's going to have nothing to lose against me,” Gauff mused. “Hopefully I can play some good tennis and be able to get through that.”
The Briton, whose confidence is slowly returning following wrist surgery, is well aware of the opportunity at hand. “I'll take it to her and see if I can do some damage," she said.