Coco Gauff continued her quest for the Australian Open trophy with a solid win in the second round, but what happens when she faces a talented compatriot, Alycia Parks, in round three?
Gauff had a fantastic start at the 2024 Australian Open, beating Anna Karolina Schmiedlova in two simple sets. Her next opponent was compatriot Caroline Dolehide, and that match was a bit more complicated.
She did win in two sets, but the first set was a hard-fought tie-break win, and only then was she able to really separate herself from her opponent.
Something similar might happen in the third round as she's facing Alycia Parks, a very talented but raw tennis player. Parks will be an excellent player in the future, but there is some more polishing to do.
Still, wins like the one she had over Leylah Fernandez in the second round certainly prove that there is plenty to work with.
Head-to-head:
Parks and Gauff never played against each other, but they know each other pretty well, and even the 19-year-old spoke about her upcoming opponent ahead of the match.
"Yeah. I have known her for a long time, since I was, like, maybe like 9 years old. Used to practice with her and her sister. We both lived in Delray Beach, or, like, in that area. Yeah, I know her very well. I always refer her -- obviously not for the next match."
Her skill set is good enough to beat Parks because the latter just lacks the fine polish in her game. Her service is amazing, but only on some days. On other days, she totals three-times more doubles than actual service winners.
Her baseline play is pretty good and has the potential to be among the best in the world, but she just has to develop some more.
| Coco Gauff | Alycia Parks | |
| 0 | H2H | 0 |
| 3 | Rank | 40 |
| 19 | Age | 23 |
| 7-0 | 2024 W/L | 2-1 |
| 180-82 | Career W/L | 86-89 |
Prediction:
The key to winning for Gauff will be the same as always. She needs to be good from the baseline and actually use her chances when they come. Parks has ways to frustrate Gauff, but I don't think it will happen. I expect Coco to keep this simple enough.
Prediction: Coco Gauff to win in two sets.
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