Coco Gauff’s preparation for the Australian Open ended with the United States’ exit from the United Cup.
It was a solid performance from Gauff and her teammates, but they ultimately fell short against a strong Polish team.
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Even though Gauff extended her winning streak against Iga Swiatek to four matches, it wasn’t enough for Team USA as Poland ultimately advanced.
Gauff, however, earned a singles victory that offered some hope to his team. We are now back in Melbourne for one of the biggest events on the tennis calendar.
It will be a first test of her 2026 season and will determine whether she can continue her momentum towards the first Grand Slam of the year.
Coco Gauff speaks out after USA’s exit from United Cup
Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images
Gauff addressed the team’s loss to X shortly after the final whistle, making it clear she wasn’t ready to leave the tournament just yet.
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The United States failed to defend its title, and for her, that was difficult to accept.
She followed up with a message: “I gave it my all today…thank you for your support. It’s always an honor to be a part of this event and for a team. We’ll do better next time! #TeamUSA.”
Her win over Swiatek was a standout moment, especially as she sought to validate the work done during the offseason.
The question now is whether she can maintain this form in Melbourne and continue to find ways to overtake the top players under Grand Slam pressure.
Coco Gauff’s head-to-head record against Iga Swiatek looks a lot more competitive these days
Given Gauff’s time on the scene, it’s easy to forget that she’s still so young.
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She wasn’t always the player we see today. It took her a while to become the top talent she is today.
Early in his career, Gauff got off to a rough start against some of the biggest names in the game, and that was reflected in his head-to-head records.
Swiatek was a great example of this. She lost 11 straight matches before turning things around.
But lately, the 21-year-old has started to change that narrative. She has won their last four meetings and even won eight straight sets during that stretch.
The overall record still leans heavily in Swiatek’s favor at 11-4, but given how things are going, that gap might not stay that wide for long.
