Coco Gauff's dreams of clinching another Grand Slam title came to an abrupt end as her forehand and serve faltered against Paula Badosa in the Australian Open quarterfinals on Tuesday. The No. 3 seed was eliminated by the 27-year-old Spaniard, who secured a straight-set victory, 7-5, 6-4, to advance to her maiden Grand Slam semifinal.
Gauff, riding high on a 13-match winning streak and a flawless 9-0 record in 2025, entered the match brimming with confidence following her triumph at the WTA Finals last November. Despite her momentum, the 2023 US Open champion struggled to maintain consistency, committing 41 unforced errors, including six costly double faults and 28 missed forehands. Her serve woes were particularly evident, with a double fault handing Badosa a critical break to lead 5-2 in the second set.
