Melbourne, Jan. 23 -- Third seed Coco Gauff produced a dominant comeback to advance to the fourth round of the 2026 Australian Open, defeating US player Hailey Baptiste in three sets at the Margaret Court Arena on Friday.
Gauff recovered from a set down to register a 3-6, 6-0, 6-3 victory.
The 21-year-old began the match positively, breaking serve in the opening game, but Baptiste responded strongly to level the contest. With the first set locked at 3-3, Baptiste seized the initiative, capitalising on a lapse in Gauff's serve to pull away and take the set.
Facing the prospect of an early exit, Gauff raised her intensity in the second set, delivering a commanding performance marked by aggressive returns and consistent baseline play.
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