Coco Gauff and Karolina Muchova set for fourth round showdown after clinical Friday wins
Third seed Coco Gauff rallied past Hailey Baptiste 3-6, 6-0, 6-3 while No 19 seed Karolina Muchova dismantled Magda Linette 6-1, 6-1 to reach the Australian Open round of 16.
Coco Gauff, Australian Open 2026 | © Imago / PsNewz
Third seed Coco Gauff rallied past Hailey Baptiste 3-6, 6-0, 6-3 while No 19 seed Karolina Muchova dismantled Magda Linette 6-1, 6-1 to reach the Australian Open round of 16.
Gauff overcomes slow start
The 21-year-old world No 3 Coco Gauff demonstrated her trademark resilience on Friday night, overcoming a tricky opening set against fellow American Hailey Baptiste. After dropping the first set 3-6 to the world No 66, Gauff shifted her tactical approach, utilizing her athleticism and problem-solving skills to win twelve of the final fifteen games.
This victory marks Gauff’s fifth appearance in the Australian Open round of 16 and improves her 2026 season record to 6-1 in inluding the United Cup. Despite the pressure of the comeback, Gauff remained aggressive, specifically trusting her variety to close out the match in just under two hours.
Reflecting on her tactical decisions under pressure, Gauff admitted she occasionally strayed from her team’s instructions to find success.
“My coach told me, ‘Don’t go drop shot on pressure points’, and I think almost every time I did a drop shot today was on a pressure point and it worked,” Gauff noted after her third-round win. Her ability to navigate the challenge from the 24-year-old Baptiste, who had previously upset Taylor Townsend, ensures that one of the tournament favorites remains a major factor in the second week.
Flawless Muchova secures first Melbourne round of 16 since 2021
On the other side of the draw, No 19 seed Karolina Muchova produced what observers called a flawless performance to sweep past Poland’s Magda Linette. The 29-year-old Czech required very little time to secure her 6-1, 6-1 victory, dominating the baseline exchanges against the 33-year-old world No 53.
Muchova, who reached the semifinals in Melbourne in 2021, is back in the Australian Open second week for the first time in five years. Her complete game, characterized by a mix of power and finesse, was on full display as she improved her 2026 match record to 6-1.
The upcoming round of 16 clash between Gauff and Muchova on Sunday represents one of the most anticipated matchups of the tournament’s first week. While Muchova is playing some of the best tennis of her career, she faces a significant statistical hurdle against Gauff.
The American currently holds a 4-0 head-to-head advantage over the Czech, having never dropped a set in their previous encounters. Muchova will need to maintain the “flawless” level she showed against Linette to disrupt Gauff’s momentum as both players vie for a spot in the quarterfinals of the 2026 Australian Open.
