Fifteen-year-old prodigy Coco Gauff set up an Australian Open blockbuster with defending champion Naomi Osaka on Wednesday, as a pumped-up Serena Williams took another step towards a record-equalling 24th Grand Slam title.
On a day when men’s seeds tumbled, Serbia’s Novak Djokovic strode into the third round to be joined by Roger Federer, who dismissed Filip Krajinovic 6-1, 6-4, 6-1.
American teenager Gauff, showing a tenacity which is becoming her trademark, clawed her way back to beat the experienced Sorana Cirstea 4-6, 6-3, 7-5.
Will to win
Gauff, who screamed and pumped her fists as she completed her victory, said her “will to win” had got her through the tough second-round match at a windswept Melbourne Park. “My parents always told me you can always come back — no matter what the score is,” said Gauff, who beat seven-time Grand Slam champion Venus Williams in round one.
Gauff also beat Williams on her Grand Slam debut last year at Wimbledon, and in another quirk, she faced Osaka in the US Open third round, going down meekly in straight sets.
Losing her cool
Japan’s Osaka, 22, beat China’s Zheng Saisai 6-2, 6-4 but briefly lost her cool mid-match, hurling and kicking her racquet when she gave up a break in the second set.
Caroline Wozniacki, in her final tournament before retiring, came from behind in both sets for a 7-5, 7-5 win over Dayana Yastremska.
Serena Williams shouted at the top of her voice during a testing second set against 70th-ranked Tamara Zidansek, before seeing off break points to win 6-2, 6-3.
Australia’s world No. 1 Ashleigh Barty raced through 6-1, 6-4 against Polona Hercog, buoying hopes of a first home winner since 1978.
Djokovic also weathered the breeze — which followed heavy rain on Monday, and smog from bushfires last week — to beat Japanese wildcard Tatsuma Ito 6-1, 6-4, 6-2 in 95 minutes.
Federer was barely detained by Krajinovic, the world number 41, as he moved smoothly through in 92 minutes in the night match on Rod Laver Arena. In another result, Petra Kvitova, last year’s runner-up, came through 7-5, 7-5 against Paula Badosa of Spain.
Marin Cilic won a five-setter against French seed Benoit Paire and Milos Raonic beat Chile’s Christian Garin in straights.
Biggest scalp
Tennys Sandgren, engulfed in controversy over his political views and right-wing links during his run to the 2018 quarterfinals, ousted eighth seed Matteo Berrettini in five sets.
Sandgren’s fellow American Tommy Paul also pulled off a five-set upset when he beat Bulgarian 18th seed Grigor Dimitrov 6-4, 7-6(6), 3-6, 6-7(3), 7-6(10/3).
And Australia’s John Millman ended the campaign of Polish 31st seed Hubert Hurkacz. Stefanos Tsitsipas was handed a slice of fortune when Philipp Kohlschreiber withdrew injured.
