Coco Gauff made her way to the third round of the Australian Open on Wednesday with a commanding display against Serbia’s Olga Danilović, claiming a 6-2, 6-2 victory in one hour and 18 minutes at Margaret Court Arena. The third-seeded American’s dominant performance included efficient serving and a fresh tactical approach that caught everyone’s attention.
Following her victory, Gauff was joined by ESPN analyst Christopher Eubanks for an on-court interview, during which she discussed the strategic adjustments inspired by World No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz.
Coco Gauff Taking Inspiration From Carlos Alcaraz to Defy Her Coach
Gauff put on a complete masterclass against Danilovic, committing just 17 unforced errors to Danilovic’s 34, showcasing her superior baseline dominance. Eubanks noted the addition of the drop shot to Gauff’s arsenal and asked whether we will see it more. Suddenly, World No. 1 Alcaraz became central to her on-court interview, leading to laughter at Melbourne Park.
Gauff discussed the initial scepticism about the shot, but then found it useful during her matches. “Honestly, the drop shot, it’s always a bad idea in my head, and then I make it, and I’m like, ‘Oh, okay. That was good,'” she said.
“I saw Carlos yesterday, and I was like, I’m trying to drop shot like him. In my first match, I won like seven drop shot points, which I don’t think I’ve ever done. And then today I won like all of them that I did,” she told Eubanks in her post-match interview.
What made it even more interesting was that Gauff was actively doing it against her coaching staff’s instructions. She acknowledged that her coach had specifically advised her to avoid the drop shot during pressure situations, yet that was precisely when she deployed it.
“My coach told me don’t go drop shot on pressure points. And I think almost every time I drop shot it today was on a pressure point, and it worked,” Gauff reflected.
Gauff Reaches the Third Round, Set to Face Compatriot Hailey Baptiste
The statistics from Danilović’s match painted a clear picture of Gauff’s superiority. She took a 5-0 lead within the opening 21 minutes of the first set, establishing immediate control that the Serbian couldn’t overcome. Danilović, who ended Venus Williams’ historic comeback in the first round in three sets, found herself overwhelmed by Gauff’s on-court prowess.
The American’s return game served as her most potent weapon, allowing her to break serve repeatedly and build commanding leads in both sets. She converted five of 17 break-point opportunities and won 84% of her first-serve points, highlighting the effectiveness of her service game throughout the match.
The victory marked Gauff’s 251st WTA-level win and extended her impressive 2026 record to four victories out of five matches. She has now reached the Australian Open third round for the fourth consecutive year, continuing a streak of strong performances at Melbourne Park.
Up next, Gauff will face fellow American Hailey Baptiste, ranked 70th in the world, who advanced by defeating Australian qualifier Storm Hunter 6-2, 6-1 earlier in the day. The matchup will mark only the second career meeting between the Americans, with their previous encounter dating back to 2023, which Gauff won in straight sets.
Baptiste achieved a milestone of her own by securing a third-round berth at the Australian Open for the first time in her career, but she only has a 10% chance of winning against the two-time Grand Slam champion, according to PFSN’s exclusive interactive simulator.
