Gauff Dominates Fernandez to Reach Third Round; Osaka Retires Injured at Australian Open
Coco Gauff advances with a straight-set victory, while Naomi Osaka withdraws due to injury.
Coco Gauff continued her flawless start to the season, securing a dominant 6-4, 6-2 victory over Leylah Fernandez in the third round of the Australian Open on Friday. The world number three, one of the tournament's favorites, breezed through to the second week at Melbourne Park, extending her unbroken run this season to eight matches.
The American's impressive performance on Rod Laver Arena showcased her precision and skill, making quick work of the 30th-seeded Canadian. Gauff, who has yet to drop a set this year, previously defeated Fernandez in straight sets at the United Cup in early January, and her solid display on Friday reaffirmed her growing momentum.
"I think it was harder because she knew what to expect, and I definitely think she played a little bit differently today than at the United Cup," said Gauff, who now holds a 12-match winning streak. "Leylah is a great competitor, great player, great person, so I knew today would be a tough match regardless of our recent result."
The 2023 US Open champion is now set to face Belinda Bencic in the next round after Bencic advanced following Naomi Osaka's retirement due to injury. Bencic, who won the first set in a tiebreak, was handed the victory when Osaka, dealing with an abdominal strain, was unable to continue after the first set.
Osaka, a two-time Australian Open champion, had been struggling with the injury throughout the tournament, having already pulled out of the Auckland final earlier in the month. Despite pushing through to the third round with victories over Caroline Garcia and Karolina Muchova, Osaka acknowledged her injury was too much to overcome during her match with Bencic.
"I was going to therapy every day and into the night, but after my last match, it got much worse," Osaka shared. "It seemed inevitable that I couldn’t continue."
Bencic, showing empathy for Osaka, expressed her disappointment at the way the match ended. "I really feel for Naomi, I saw her struggling a little bit at the end of the set. Obviously, it’s not the way you would like this match to end," she said. "I thought it was a good match, so hopefully, she’ll be fine soon."
As Gauff prepares for her next challenge against the Swiss Bencic, she remains on track for a deep run at the Australian Open, while Osaka's hopes of securing a third Melbourne title were abruptly halted by injury.