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.

Gauff could hit some of the hardest first serves on tour, but her iffy second serve and wonky forehand had never been a secret. When she hits a forehand, she uses what’s known as an extreme Western grip,

Given everything she has already achieved in her fledgling career – and the weight of expectation she has borne as one of tennis’ rising superstars – it’s sometimes easy to forget that Coco Gauff is still only 20 years old.

If it seems as though the 2025 professional tennis year started pretty much immediately right after 2024 ended, that’s because that’s exactly what happens in a sport where the offseason really does not leave players much time to be “off.

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

The young American star will look to win her second-ever Grand Slam and improve upon her semifinal performance from last year at the 2025 Australian Open.