Coco Gauff had a little difficulty adjusting to the sun at one end of Rod Laver Arena and dropped an early service game but quickly settled into a rhythm to start her Australian Open with a 6-3, 6-3 win Monday over 2020 champion Sofia Kenin.

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Coco Gauff had a little difficulty adjusting to the sun at one end of Rod Laver Arena and dropped an early service game but quickly settled into a rhythm to start her Australian Open a 6-3, 6-3 win Monday over 2020 champion Sofia Kenin.

MELBOURNE, Australia — There’s a young woman who looks a lot like Coco Gauff at Melbourne Park for the Australian Open. She has the same fiery, competitive eyes, the same tendency to break out in a giggle in the middle of a sentence and the same number of titles.

The 20-year-old said she is a Marvel fanatic, and wanted to bring a touch of superhero to her New Balance apparel for 2025's opening Slam.

The third-seeded American beat 2020 champion Sofia Kenin, who at No. 81 is a much tougher opponent than her ranking suggests.

Coco Gauff has made improvements to her serving and her forehand. And the strides in both of those areas are among the reasons she's considered one of the few women ready to challenge two-time defending champion Aryna Sabalenka for the title at the Australian Open.

World No.3 Coco Gauff, one of the most in-form players ahead of the Australian Open, says she's feeling no pressure ahead of the first Grand Slam tournament of 2025.

The American has been on a scintillating run of form that has made her a major threat to two-time defending champion Aryna Sabalenka at Melbourne Park.

After a disappointing US Open, Coco Gauff made changes to her game and her coaching staff. The results have been undeniable.