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Coco Gauff has matched Serena Williams' feat of reaching six Grand Slam quarterfinals as a teenager since the start of the 21st century.
On Sunday, 19-year-old Gauff ousted Magdalena Frech 6-1 6-2 in the Australian Open round-of-16. By beating Frech, world No. 4 progressed into her first quarterfinal at Melbourne Park and overall her sixth Slam quarterfinal.
Gauff, who will be turning 20 in March, made her first Grand Slam quarterfinal at the French Open in 2021. In each of the last three years, Gauff reached at least the quarterfinal at the French Open. Also, Gauff made at least the last-eight stage in each of the past two years at the US Open.
By reaching six Grand Slam quarterfinals as a teenager in the 21st century, Gauff leveled Williams and Kim Clijsters. Maria Sharapova, a former five-time Grand Slam champion, remains the player with the most Slam quarterfinals as a teenager - 10.
6 - Only Maria Sharapova (10) has made more Women’s Singles Grand Slam quarter-finals as a teenager than Coco Gauff since 2000 (six, equalling Serena Williams and Kim Clijsters). Phenomenon.#AusOpen | @AustralianOpen @WTA @WTA_insider pic.twitter.com/MCnsPXqYdh
— OptaAce (@OptaAce) January 21, 2024
How Gauff beat Frech for her sixth Grand Slam quarterfinal?
Gauff got off to a great start to the match, breaking Frech in the very first game of the match. Up by an early break, Gauff didn't stop there as she broke Frech again in the fifth and seventh games to dominantly seal the opener.
After easily winning the first set, Gauff also broke Frech in the fourth game of the second set. In the eighth game - the game in which Frech was serving to stay in the match - Gauff broke the Pole again to complete a routine straight-set win.
For a place in the Australian Open semifinal, Gauff will be battling against Marta Kostyuk, who defeated Maria Timofeeva. When Gauff and Kostyuk meet at Melbourne Park, it is going to be their second meeting. Previously, Gauff defeated Kostyuk when they met in Adelaide in 2022.
After winning Auckland and clinching four straight-set wins in her opening four matches at Melbourne Park, there is no doubt that Gauff is the favorite to beat Kostyuk.