Coco Gauff enters the Australian Open as a teenage Grand Slam champion. The pressure is off
The IndependentFor free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. She’s entering the Australian Open as a reigning Grand Slam champion, new territory for the 19-year-old American. Defending champion Novak Djokovic, aiming for a recording-extending 11th Australian title and 25th overall, announced ahead of the schedule's release that he'd be playing Sunday night — the first of three first-round night sessions. I found myself being able to play freer and trust myself more.” Gauff is in the same quarter of the draw as four-time major winner Naomi Osaka and Caroline Wozniacki, both past Australian Open champions who are returning to Melbourne Park as mothers for the first time. “That’s how our life journeys kind of went apart.” Awaiting the winner of that match is either 2016 Australian Open winner Angelique Kerber, in her comeback from a maternity break, or 2022 finalist Danielle Collins.