Coco Gauff kept her Australian Open campaign alive after mounting a comeback victory over fellow American Hailey Baptiste in the third round on Friday, January 23. The world No. 3 dropped the opening set before steadying herself to claim a 3-6, 6-0, 6-3 win at Melbourne Park.

The result sent Gauff into the fourth round as she continues her bid for another Grand Slam title, shaking off early nerves to assert control as the match wore on. The reigning French Open champion leaned on her experience to turn the contest in her favor.

Early scare before Gauff settles in

Baptiste, ranked 70th in the world, made an immediate impact by taking the first set and putting pressure on her higher-ranked opponent. The 24-year-old showed confidence and composure early, threatening to pull off one of the tournament’s surprises.

Gauff responded decisively in the second set, tightening her baseline play and dictating rallies to level the match. She carried that momentum into the decider, capitalizing on Baptiste’s errors to close out the comeback.

Tough road ahead in Melbourne

Gauff remains on the same side of the draw as world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka, setting up a potential semifinal clash if both continue to advance. The draw has kept several top contenders on a collision course deep into the tournament.

The 21-year-old American will next face 19th seed Karolina Muchova in the fourth round, with a quarterfinal berth at stake. Gauff will look to build on her latest performance as the competition intensifies in Melbourne.