Coco Gauff battles back to win all-American clash at Australian Open

Coco Gauff overcame a shaky start against fellow American Hailey Baptiste, battling back to secure a 3-6 6-0 6-3 victory and advance to the Australian Open fourth round, as she continues her pursuit of a maiden title at Melbourne Park.

The two-time Grand Slam champion found herself broken twice in the opening set, losing her first of the tournament to world number 70 Baptiste.

The unseeded challenger briefly threatened a significant upset before her momentum completely dissipated in the second set.

Gauff, the third seed, then elevated her game, drastically reducing unforced errors to produce a dominant display. She bageled Baptiste in the second set, before securing a crucial break in the decider's sixth game and serving out the match.

"Honestly, I didn't change too much. I tried to get more first serves in. I wasn't too upset (after the first set)," Gauff stated on court. "I was able to raise my level and I'm happy with how I stayed mentally calm through that."

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Despite the loss, Baptiste delivered a robust challenge to Gauff, pushing her hard even if she couldn't match the American's power and relentless play. Gauff is now set to face Czech 19th seed Karolina Muchova for a place in the quarter-finals.

Before departing the arena, Gauff also took a moment to address a fan she felt had crossed a line in their support. "Hailey's a great competitor, so to the guy who made that comment, we're all doing our best out here.... Let's all be respectful," she urged, to cheers from the crowd.

Meanwhile, women’s top seed Aryna Sabalenka also came through a tough test on Friday, beating Anastasia Potapova 7-6, 7-6.

On the men’s side, Daniil Medvedev won a thrilling five-set match, while Carlos Alcaraz, who is yet to win the Australian Open, eased into the fourth round.