Coco Gauff helped Team USA win the United Cup to kick off 2025 in the perfect manner, taking down Polish star Iga Swiatek along the way.

Her Australian Open campaign then got off to a great start, as Gauff beat Sofia Kenin in the first round.

With the win she booked herself a spot in the second round against British star Jodie Burrage, who had just won her first Major match since 2023.

Gauff took down Burrage in straight sets to secure her place in the third round of the Australian Open, and seriously impressed her opponent during the match.

Jodie Burrage says Coco Gauff’s forehand ‘didn’t break down’ during their Australian Open match

Speaking after her second-round defeat to Gauff in Melbourne, Burrage explained what impressed her the most about the American.

“Yeah, her forehand, you know, didn’t really break down,” she said.

“I had to hit winners.

“My forehand couldn’t deal with anything from her at all.”

Burrage looked back upon her first career meeting with Gauff at Eastbourne in 2023 and said what she thought about the 20-year-old after the match.

“I can’t really remember much of that match, to be honest, it was over in, like, 45 minutes,” she said.

“Since I’ve played her last time, she’s won, you know, Slams, end-of-year finals.

“She’s a very different player.”

“I knew that when I played her before that she was going to win one [Slam].”

The British star went on to say how impressed she has been with Gauff’s development.

“Yeah, she’s been playing some really great stuff,” said Burrage.

“I watched a few of her matches recently last night, and she has come on as a player.”

Switching focus to herself, the world number 173 gave her thoughts on how she performed at the year’s first Grand Slam event.

“I’m very happy,” she said.

“I’m just very, very happy with how I’ve handled myself, my emotions and, you know, the level that I’ve managed to put out on the court so early in my return from my injury.

“There’s still a lot to improve, but yeah, [excited] to see what this year brings.”

How good was Coco Gauff’s forehand during her win over Jodie Burrage?

Burrage was impressed by how well Gauff’s forehand held firm, but do the stats really back that up?

Despite making fewer winners on the forehand side than her British opponent, Gauff made far fewer unforced errors, which helped her maintain consistency throughout.

Only when Burrage was pressuring Gauff’s forehand, hitting winners, did the world number three begin to make ‘forced errors’.

As usual, stats only tell half the story, and the eye test certainly proves Burrage right, as Gauff’s forehand looked fairly solid throughout, a worrying prospect for her rivals in Australia.

Having already taken down a Slam winner in the first round when she beat Kenin, Gauff could be set to face off against several Major finalists, and winners, on her way to a prospective first Australian Open title.

• 3R v Leylah Fernandez (2021 US Open finalist)
• 4R v Naomi Osaka (2018, 2020 US Open winner, 2019, 2021 Australian Open winner)
• QF v Jessica Pegula (2024 US Open finalist)
• SF v Aryna Sabalenka (2023, 2024 Australian Open winner, 2024 US Open winner)
• F v Iga Swiatek (2020, 2022, 2023, 2024 French Open winner, 2022 US Open winner)

If Gauff is going to pick up a first title down under, she’s going to have to do it the hard way, with the likes of Naomi Osaka, Aryna Sabalenka, and Swiatek potentially standing in her way.

Gauff will return to the court to take on Leylah Fernandez in the third round of the Australian Open on Friday, January 17.

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