Australian Open: Coco Gauff matches Serena Williams record with latest win

Coco Gauff, 20, has reached the fourth round of the Australian Open, matching a record set by tennis legend Serena Williams.

The American player beat Leylah Fernandez for the second time in less than three weeks, securing her place in the last 16. Despite not playing her best tennis in Melbourne, Gauff has won every match so far without dropping a set.

With her 6-4, 6-2 win over Fernandez, Gauff made her 14th appearance in the second week of a Grand Slam. She has won all eight of her matches this season, joining a select group of just five players to achieve this, including Serena Williams, Steffi Graf, Margaret Court, and Monica Seles.

Gauff’s match against Fernandez started slowly, with Gauff making 13 unforced errors on her forehand in the first set. She also struggled with double faults, but managed to win the first set and played more consistently in the second to seal the victory.

In the fourth round, Gauff will face Belinda Bencic, who has also reached the last 16 in Melbourne, just nine months after giving birth to her daughter, Bella. This is Bencic’s first Grand Slam since becoming a mother. She reached this stage after Naomi Osaka, also a mother, retired due to injury after losing the first set in a tiebreak.

Gauff and Bencic have played each other twice before, with one win each. Their upcoming match is expected to be an exciting battle for a spot in the quarter-finals.