Coco Guaff beats Venus Williams in Australian Open first round

Posted By: Staff
January 20, 2020 @ 11:20 am
ABC Sports

Scott Clarke / ESPN Images(MELBOURNE, Australia) — “I was a bit shocked. I’m sure everyone was a bit shocked.”

That was Coco Gauff’s reaction to facing Venus Williams again for the first round at a Grand Slam tournament.

Just as Gauff, 15, bested Williams, 39, at Wimbledon last year, she’s done it again at the Australian Open. Gauff beat Williams 7-6 (5), 6-3 on Monday at the start of the first major tennis tournament of the year.

“That was really difficult. She played really well,” Guaff said of the match, adding that she was “really nervous.”

Gauff said she was “more positive coming into this match,” after growing her confidence playing on “big courts.”

Other women who played and won in notable matches on Monday were defending champion Naomi Osaka, Serena Williams — a 23 time major champion, top-ranked Ash Barty and 2018 Australian Open winner Caroline Wozniacki. Wozniacki plans to retire after this Australian Open, according to ESPN.