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SPORTS Tuesday 21 January 2020
'My mission was to win': Coco tops Venus at Australian Open

By HOWARD FENDRICH ed nine matches on out-
MELBOURNE, Australia side courts in progress and
(AP) — Everyone had the postponed more than 20
same question when the others entirely, creating a
Australian Open draw was jam-packed schedule for
revealed: What were the Tuesday. The start will be a
odds that Coco Gauff and half-hour earlier than usual,
Venus Williams would face and three courts have sev-
each other again in the en-match programs.
first round at a Grand Slam Among the players who
tournament? got a chance to play —
"I was a bit shocked," Gauff and win — were Novak
said, "I'm sure everyone Djokovic, Roger Federer,
was a bit shocked." 2019 semifinalist Stefanos Ts-
Gauff, 15, played Williams, itsipas, defending women's
39, to begin her first ap- champion Naomi Osaka,
pearance in the main draw 23-time major champion
at Melbourne Park, just like Serena Williams, No. 1 Ash
they matched up to start Barty and 2018 Australian
things off at Wimbledon Open winner Caroline Woz-
about six months ago. And, niacki, who is retiring after
just like at the All England this tournament.
Club, the youngest woman Barty got off to a rough
in the field got the better start, dropping her opening
of the oldest woman in the set, before asserting herself
field, with Gauff beating and coming back for a 5-7,
Williams 7-6 (5), 6-3 on Mon- 6-1, 6-1 victory over Lesia
day. Tsurenko.
"I definitely was more con- Serena, who is 38, did what
fident this time. I think I was her older sister couldn't: de-
used to playing on big feat a teen.
courts, so the crowd — I Other than a brief second- United States' Cori "Coco" Gauff makes a backhand return to compatriot Venus Williams during
their first round singles match the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia,
guess the size of the crowd set blip, Serena had very Monday, Jan. 20, 2020.
didn't startle me as much as little trouble getting past Associated Press
last time," Gauff said. "Defi- 18-year-old Anastasia Po-
nitely a bit more positive tapova of Russia 6-0, 6-3 friend and doubles partner, loud "Come on!" and a se- pion Simona Halep. She
coming into this match." to begin her latest bid for 18-year-old American qual- ries of fist pumps. backed that up with a run
It was the most anticipated a 24th Grand Slam singles ifier Caty McNally, upset Otherwise, she had her to the third round at the
contest of Day 1 at the first championship. 2011 U.S. Open champion game face on, betraying U.S. Open, then won her
major tennis tournament of Serena took the last three Sam Stosur of Australia 6-1, little emotion, including first WTA singles title later in
the decade, and it did not games of the match, then 6-4 at night. when she walked out onto the year.
disappoint. The first set, in declared with a laugh: "I Another past champion at the court with earbuds in The forehand that might
particular, was intriguing, started out well today. End- Flushing Meadows, Sloane place after getting a pre- have been the biggest
with Gauff repeatedly pull- ed well." Stephens, bowed out, too, match peck on the cheek question mark with her
ing ahead, only to have Her most recent major tro- beaten by Zhang Shuai 2-6, from her father, Corey, game after her break-
Williams — who already phy came in Australia in 7-5, 6-2. who also serves as Gauff's through, seemed im-
had won four of her seven 2017; that also had been Earlier, Gauff and Venus coach. proved, yes, but still was a
Grand Slam singles trophies her last title of any sort until Williams combined for far Gauff is ranked 67th, and weakness Williams could
by the time her foe was this month, when she won a more unforced errors, 71, Williams, a former No. 1, is test.
born — rebuff her. hard-court tuneup in Auck- than winners, 42. 55th. Williams was playing Another question enter-
It wasn't until her fourth land, New Zealand. One key was that Williams in a Grand Slam tourna- ing this season had to be
set point that Gauff finally Gauff beamed Monday ended up with 41 of those ment's main draw for the how Gauff would handle
pulled it out. She quickly while discussing a dance miscues, 11 more than 85th time, a record for the being someone everyone
grabbed a 3-0 lead in the routine she did with Serena Gauff. professional era, but this gears up for, someone ev-
second and never let that that went viral on social Another was that Wil- also was her first match of eryone knows about, and
edge go. media. liams, long one of the most 2020, because of a hip in- someone who might need
Gauff already has dem- There were laughs about feared servers on tour, was jury that sidelined her at the to deal with the pressure to
onstrated all sorts of terrific her love of TikTok and her outdone in that category start of January. perform and live up to the
qualities on a tennis court, self-deprecating discussion by her opponent on this This is Gauff's third major, ever-growing and enor-
from her big, gutsy serves of a propensity for procras- day. Not only did Gauff but she sure is precocious. mous expectations.
to an ability to track down tination when it comes to face only two break points, "She clearly wants it and So far, so good.
opponents' shots. Now you schoolwork. saving one, but she often works very hard and is ex- "I guess I came to the real-
can add stick-to-it-iveness She is, after all, still just a came up with the goods at tremely mature for her ization that I need to play
to the list. 15-year-old. the most crucial moments, age," Williams said. "The my game, not worry about
The match was held in Mar- One with lofty goals, pounding an ace at 115 sky's the limit for her." what people think of me,"
garet Court Arena, one of though. mph, say, or hitting a risky Ranked 313th, Gauff be- Gauff said. "I still have a
three stadiums with a re- "I mean, my mission is to second serve at a high ve- came the youngest quali- lot more to, I guess, be-
tractable roof, and that be the greatest. That's my locity to the perfect spot to fier in Wimbledon history, come like one of those 'big
was a good thing. The goal, to win as many Grand draw a no-good return. then made it all the way to names,'" she continued,
air quality was fine, but a Slams as possible. But for to- All the while, Gauff was the fourth round, generat- making air quotes with her
heavy storm that arrived day, my mission was to win," not shy about celebrating ing a ton of buzz, before fingers. "I feel like I still have
in the afternoon suspend- said Gauff, whose good the biggest of points with a losing to eventual cham- a lot to improve."q