At last year’s Australian Open, Coco Gauff cruised into the quarterfinals, dropping just one set before a stunning straight-sets loss to Paula Badosa halted her title push. That upset ended her campaign before clashes with Iga Swiatek or Aryna Sabalenka ever arrived. This year, the road appears steeper, with a potential early showdown against Venus Williams looming as a defining test before the current elite await.

Coco Gauff and Venus Williams could meet in the second round of the Australian Open. It would be their first Grand Slam meeting in more than six years. Their previous clash came at Wimbledon 2019, where a 15-year-old Gauff defeated seven-time major champion Venus Williams in her Grand Slam debut.

Much has changed since then. Gauff now enters Melbourne as the No. 3 seed and a two-time Grand Slam champion. Venus Williams, now 45, has received a wild-card entry. This marks her first Australian Open appearance in five years and another milestone in her historic career.

Gauff will begin her campaign against world No. 91 Kamilla Rakhimova. Venus Williams, ranked No. 576, will open against No. 68 Olga Danilovic. Williams first played the Australian Open in 1998 and has twice reached the final. She is set to become the oldest woman to compete in the Australian Open main draw.

If Gauff advances, a third-round meeting with Markéta Vondroušová is possible. The Czech player won Wimbledon in 2023. 

In the fourth round, Gauff could face Karolina Muchová or fellow American Emma Navarro. Gauff holds a 4-0 record against Muchová. Against Navarro, the head-to-head stands at 2-1 in favor of the 15th-ranked American.

A quarterfinal clash could follow against Mirra Andreeva or Elina Svitolina. Gauff leads Andreeva 4-0, including a straight-sets win at last year’s Italian Open. Against Svitolina, Gauff holds a narrow 2-1 edge. The Ukrainian recently lifted the ASB Classic title.

The semifinals could bring a blockbuster showdown with Aryna Sabalenka. The world No. 1 and Gauff are tied 6-6 in their rivalry. Their most recent meeting came at last year’s WTA Finals, where Sabalenka won in straight sets.

If Gauff clears that hurdle, Iga Swiatek could await in the final. Swiatek leads their rivalry 11-5 and has dominated it historically. Still, Gauff has shown clear improvement in recent meetings. That progress could prove decisive as she chases another Australian Open breakthrough.

Brad Gilbert explains why Coco Gauff has dominated Iga Swiatek recently

On Saturday, Gauff defeated Iga 6-4, 6-2 at the United Cup. The win marked her fourth straight victory over the Polish. At just 21, Gauff has clearly taken control of this rivalry over the past year.

This recent run is a sharp contrast to the past. Swiatek won their first seven meetings between 2021 and mid-2023. For a long time, the matchup heavily favored the Polish star, and Gauff struggled to find answers.

Brad Gilbert played a key role in shifting that balance. Gilbert worked with Gauff from 2023 to 2024 and guided her to her first Grand Slam title at the 2023 US Open. And recently, on X, he was asked about the secret behind Gauff’s recent success against Swiatek.

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Gilbert pointed to a clear mental and tactical change: “Playing with more belief obviously. Now vs Iga, she seems to be able to break down her forehand. Probably the biggest things not feeling the need to press early in points.” 

Gauff’s breakthrough came shortly after hiring Gilbert. She earned her first win over Swiatek at the 2023 Cincinnati Open. After that, Swiatek responded by winning their next four meetings, stretching the head-to-head to 11-1 in her favor.

With a potential Australian Open final looming this year, the question remains open: if they meet again on the biggest stage, who would come out on top?