‘Coco Gauff will win the Australian Open – she is equal favourite with Aryna Sabalenka’ – Serena Williams’ ex-coach
Former doubles world No 1 Rennae Stubbs believes Coco Gauff is an “equal favourite” with Aryna Sabalenka to win the 2025 Australian Open.
Stubbs, a former coach of Serena Williams, predicted that Gauff will triumph in Melbourne as she assessed that the American “looks as good now as she did when she won the US Open.”
Gauff is the No 3 seed at the Australian Open and she will face world No 81 Sofia Kenin, who won the 2020 edition of the tournament, in the first round.
The 20-year-old could meet world No 1 and two-time reigning champion Aryna Sabalenka in the semi-finals in a rematch of a contest she lost to the Belarusian at the same stage of last year’s Australian Open.
The world No 3 defeated Sabalenka in three sets in the final of the 2023 US Open to secure her only Grand Slam title to date.
Gauff made a blistering start to the 2025 season by winning all five of her singles matches, and both of her doubles matches, without losing a set as the United States claimed the United Cup title.
This was a continuation of Gauff’s superb form from the end of 2024, when she won the WTA Finals in November.
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Speaking on her podcast, Stubbs backed Gauff to win her second major title at the Australian Open, which will begin on Sunday.
“I’m going to say that I think Coco Gauff will win the Australian Open,” the 60-time WTA doubles titlist said. “The only issue is I hear it’s faster in Melbourne than it was in Sydney [at the United Cup], so that will help Aryna if it’s a bit quicker.
“But I’m going to go Coco. I do slightly think Sabalenka might be the one, but I’m going to say Coco might get it.”
On an ESPN conference call, Stubbs added: “Clearly Sabalenka has let everybody know she’s the favourite going in, but also Coco Gauff looks to me as equal as a favourite as I’ve seen in a Grand Slam for a while.
“I think Coco looks as good now as she did when she won the US Open. She is hitting the forehand with such confidence, she’s not freaking out when the ball is going there, when someone is drilling it there. She’s using the loop really well. She doesn’t miss a ball from the back of the court.
“Her biggest issue is her second serve, and at the United Cup, her serve was really solid and good. Under pressure in Melbourne, the United Cup is still an exhibition, but there was a lot on the line, and her beating Iga now two times in a row, that mentally sets her up to feel like she can beat Iga in a big match.”
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