What were you doing at 21?
Coco Gauff is keeping record-keepers busy as she collected her 75th Grand Slam singles win on Monday at the Australian Open, becoming the youngest woman to do so in nearly two decades.
Despite some missteps on serve in the first set, the all-conquering American breezed past Kamilla Rakhimova 6-2 6-3 to raucous applause on Rod Laver Arena.
“I'm really happy how today went,” the two-time major winner told media in Melbourne. “Kamilla is a tough first round [opponent].”
“It was not the easiest at moments, but I got through.”
At 21 years and 311 days, Gauff is the youngest woman to 75 Grand Slam wins since Maria Sharapova, who did it aged 20 years and 270 days at Australian Open 2008.
This makes her the 11th-youngest to reach that milestone since the start of the Open era in 1968, slotting in behind Chris Evert.
Leading that pack is Martina Hingis, who was just 18 years and 110 days old.
The straight-sets victory was also Gauff’s 250th tour-level win, becoming the youngest to reach that mark since Caroline Wozniacki in 2011.
Gauff, this year’s third seed, achieved this feat quicker than the two women currently ranked above her.
Second seed Iga Swiatek reached 250 tour wins aged 23, while Aryna Sabalenka was 25.
With two matches to spare, the American joins an elite cohort of countrywomen who’ve achieved at least 75 wins in their first 100 Grand Slam matches in the Open Era, sitting just behind Pam Shriver’s 76.
Should Gauff win her second and third-round matchups at Melbourne Park, she will overtake Shriver to sit fourth behind Venus Williams (85), Serena Williams (86) and Chris Evert (90).
Gauff faces Olga Danilovic in the second round, who overcame a resurgent Venus Williams in three sets on Sunday.
“It's going to be a tough match. I think [Danilovic is] a talented player,” Gauff said. “I'm looking forward to the battles. Not often I get to play a lefty.”