The Americans still playing at the Australian Open
After a monumental US Open, expectations were high for the Americans entering the first major of 2024. With 19 women and 12 men in the singles main draws at the Australian Open, deep runs at the event seemed well within reach for many.
In New York, four women and four men made it to the second week, but the Americans weren’t quite as successful during the opening three rounds in Melbourne. Entering the round of 16, just three Americans remain. Coco Gauff and Amanda Anisimova are the last women standing and Taylor Fritz is the lone man. Here’s how they got here and what stands in between them and the quarterfinals:
Coco Gauff
Following a blistering-hot streak on the hard court over the summer, the 19-year-old won her first major in September at the US Open — and she’s shown no signs of slowing down in the new year. Gauff opened the season with her second straight title at Auckland and has yet to drop a set in Melbourne. On Friday, she completely dismantled fellow American Alycia Parks 6-0, 6-2 in just over an hour to advance to the fourth round.
Gauff, the world No. 4, has now won 32 of her 36 matches since early August and been victorious in 10 consecutive major matches, tying Serena Williams for the third-longest streak by an American teenager in the Open era.
All smiles with that performance 😁@CocoGauff cruises past Parks 6-0 6-2 to reach the fourth round.#AusOpen • #AO2024 pic.twitter.com/KCSRSRcQqC
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 19, 2024
While some had hoped Gauff would be facing Naomi Osaka in the fourth round, she instead will take on Magdalena Frech in the first meeting between the two and Frech’s first major round of 16 appearance. The winner will play Marta Kostyuk or Maria Timofeeva in the quarters.
Playing in her first Slam since becoming a major champion and looking to reach her first quarterfinals in Melbourne, Gauff said she had a new mindset — courtesy of her younger brother Codey — that she believed was helping.
“Have fun and relax,” Gauff said of her mentality after her win over Parks. “I think as you get later, the trophy obviously gets closer and closer. You have to treat it that it’s as far away as it is if you’re in the first round. That’s [how] I approached that final. I didn’t approach it as I just need to win two sets and I have it. I approached it as I need to win seven matches again and then I’ll get it.
“He told me, ‘Pretend that you have to win three sets instead of two.’ If you put your mindset into the extra mile, then it seems easier I guess in a way. He would say, ‘OK, if you want to win the Grand Slam, say you have to win eight matches instead of seven.’ It’s like changing your mindset so it feels further. … I think tricking your mind kind of relaxes the body because your mind controls your body. You have to trick your mind a little bit.”
Amanda Anisimova
After taking a mental health break from tennis for much of the 2023 season, the 22-year-old returned to competition earlier this month. And now, in just her second tournament back, Anisimova is into the fourth round following impressive straight-set wins over No. 13 seed Liudmila Samsonova, 2020 French Open semifinalist Nadia Podoroska and former world No. 2 Paula Badosa.
Anisimova, a 2019 French Open semifinalist and 2022 Wimbledon quarterfinalist, is playing in her third round of 16 at the Australian Open but she’s never advanced to the quarters. And if she’s going to do it this year, she’s going to have to get through Aryna Sabalenka, the defending champion, on Sunday.
Anisimova holds a 4-1 career record over Sabalenka but it won’t be easy. Sabalenka has lost just six games — in total — throughout her 2024 campaign in Melbourne, and recorded a double-bagel score (6-0, 6-0) in her third-round victory. Despite the obvious challenge, Anisimova said she was “really looking forward to it” but would be content no matter the final result.
Back. In. Business 🧳@anisimovaamanda defeats Badosa 7-5 6-4 and wins 3 straight matches for the first time since 2022 Wimbledon!#AusOpen • #AO2024 pic.twitter.com/QOZ8q5jHhB
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 19, 2024
“I’m really proud of myself,” Anisimova said on Friday. “I wasn’t sure should I expect to do well because a lot of people were telling me, ‘Don’t put too much expectations on yourself, you’ve taken a lot of time off, don’t get too down on yourself if you don’t do well at these tournaments.’ I kind of took that in a little bit, but I still expected a lot out of myself.
“But at the same time I was going to be happy whether I lose in the first round or if I do well. So I was going in with that approach. I’m just really happy that I was able to get this far, but I still think that I can do more.”
If Anisimova were to pull off the upset, she would face the winner of Sunday’s match between 2021 French Open champion Barbora Krejcikova and 16-year-old phenom Mirra Andreeva.
Taylor Fritz
After reaching his first US Open quarterfinal in September and coming off a season that saw him win two titles on hard court, the 26-year-old has brought a newfound confidence Down Under this season.
In his opening-round match, Fritz fought back after trailing two sets to one against Facundo Diaz Acosta to ultimately emerge victorious 4-6, 6-3, 3-6, 6-2, 6-4. But he left nothing to chance in his next match against Hugo Gaston, giving up just four games.
In the third round, he lost the first set to Fabian Marozsan but rallied — yet again — for a four-set win. As the No. 12 seed, Fritz acknowledged having a target on his back against unseeded opponents and needing to find ways to elevate his game.
Challenged early, @Taylor_Fritz97 rallied impressively to defeat Fabian Marozsan 3-6 6-4 6-2 6-2 to set up a mouth watering fourth round meeting with Stefanos Tsitsipas.#AusOpen • #AO2024 pic.twitter.com/MNazabEFLz
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 19, 2024
“In my first round [match], my opponent was playing really well, and I raised my level above my average level,” Fritz said on Friday after the victory over Marozsan. “I played very well. Today as well my opponent was playing very well in the beginning, and I raised my level a lot, and I played really, really well in the last sets.”
Now into his second round of 16 at the Australian Open, Fritz will have to raise his level even higher against 2023 tournament runner-up Stefanos Tsitsipas in order to advance to his first quarterfinal in Melbourne. Tsitsipas holds a 3-1 series edge, but Fritz won their last meeting 6-2, 6-4 in Monte Carlo in April. Fritz said he was optimistic about his chances in Sunday’s showdown.
“I’m excited for the next match,” Fritz said on Friday. “I feel confident. I’m playing well. I’ve played Stef a good amount, so I have an idea of what I have to expect and how I want to play it as well.”
If Fritz is successful, a clash against 10-time Australian Open champion Novak Djokovic would potentially await in the quarterfinals.
