Breaking: Serena Williams’ former coach picks Coco Gauff to win Australian Open ahead of Aryna Sabalenka…see More

The 2025 Australian Open is around the corner, and former player Rennae Stubbs thinks Coco Gauff will emerge as the champion. At the 2024 Australian Open, Gauff produced her best performance of the tournament when she reached the semifinals.

The 20-year-old is in red-hot form since adding coach Matt Daly to her team following the 2024 US Open. She won the China Open and became champion at the WTA Finals for the first time.

Gauff started the 2025 season on the right note by winning all singles matches at the United Cup, including her clash with World No. 2 Iga Swiatek in the final, helping Team USA win the tournament. Although Aryna Sabalenka will be bidding to complete a three-peat in the tournament, Stubbs, who has coached Serena Williams, explained why she thinks Gauff is the favorite to win.

The American youngster is the third seed in the Major event and will start her campaign against compatriot Sofia Kenin (the 2020 Australian Open champion). The 2023 US Open champion could face Sabalenka in the semifinals in a rematch of last year’s semifinal.

Coco Gauff has been working on her serve, her forehand, and other technical aspects of her game with Matt Daly. She is confident that the work she has been doing behind the scenes will help take pressure off her when she begins her campaign in Melbourne.

The first-round match in Melbourne will be Gauff’s first match in Major since her exit at the 2024 US Open after a three-set defeat to compatriot Emma Navarro in the fourth round.

During the match, Gauff, who was the defending champion, made 19 double faults. Since that match, Gauff sure has come a long way and will be considered a contender in every Major event this year.