2024 Australian Open: Coco Gauff reflects on last Grand Slam as a teenager

Coco Gauff's best Australian Open run was ended on Thursday by the powerful hitting of Aryna Sabalenka, who is now an overwhelming favorite to defend her Melbourne women's singles title. In a rematch of the 2023 US Open final, which Gauff won to claim her maiden Grand Slam crown, Sabalenka earned a 7-6(2), 6-4 victory with a strong serving performance backed up by her relentless attacking game.

As groundbreaking as Gauff's US Open victory was, she actually felt she played better in this semifinal defeat.

"She served better... She made less errors," Gauff said, dissecting the differences between their two major meetings. "But also, I feel like I played a little bit more aggressive this time. The US Open I felt like wasn't a great match for me. Yes, I won. I think I played better tonight."

From 5-2 down in the opening frame, Gauff moved within two points of the set, serving at 6-5, 30-15. But Sabalenka rediscovered her range from the baseline in the nick of time to snatch the lead. Unlike in New York, there would be no comeback this time.

With the conclusion of her Australian Open, so too ends the story of Coco Gauff as a teenager at the Grand Slams. Beginning with her stunning major debut at Wimbledon in 2019, when she beat Venus Williams en route to the fourth round, Gauff has not missed a main draw, competing in 18 Slams as a teen. She reached six quarterfinals, three semifinals and two finals, the first of which ended in defeat to Iga Swiatek at Roland Garros 2022.

Gauff's 49 Grand Slam women's singles wins as a teenager equal Serena Williams' 49, second only to Jennifer Capriati's 50 among Americans as teenagers since 1990.

"I am really proud of myself," she continued. "I did want to win a Slam as a teenager, and I did that. Obviously today I was hoping to get No. 2, or at least give myself a chance to get No. 2. It didn't happen, but I feel like I'm there. So hopefully I can go only upwards from here."

Gauff, who turns 20 on March 13, will play her first post-teenage major at Roland Garros in May. She has reached at least the quarterfinals the past three years at the clay-court Slam, which is the American's best major in terms of matches won (15) and winning percentage (79%).

But there is a long road before her return to Paris, one that will wind through both Indian Wells and Miami in March—the two biggest tournaments on American soil outside of the US Open. After the initial disappointment wears off, Gauff's latest defeat will only fuel her to travel farther.