Coco Gauff issues firm response rejecting critics' expectations after Australian Open heartbreak

Coco Gauff responded to critics' expectations after her run at the 2025 Australian Open ended. Gauff reached the quarterfinals at the Grand Slam before losing to Paula Badosa.

Gauff was seeded third at the Melbourne Major and began her campaign by defeating compatriot Sofia Kenin 6-3, 6-3 in the first round and Jodie Burrage 6-3, 7-5 in the second. The American then beat 30th-seed Leylah Fernandez 6-4, 6-2 and Belinda Bencic 5-7, 6-2, 6-1 in the third and fourth rounds, respectively.

Coco Gauff's campaign at the Australian Open concluded in the next round, the quarterfinals after she fell to 11th-seed Paula Badosa 5-7, 4-6. Following her loss to the Spaniard, Gauff expressed that she was "proud" of her overall performance in the tournament and her match against Badosa.

Gauff also claimed that she blocks out online criticism so that it does not affect her game.

"Most of the internet coaches never coached anyone at my level. Or never even played. It's easier to look on the outside. Even I'm watching I do that. I'm proud of myself and can't control others' expectations about me," Gauff said in her post-match interview.

Before her Australian Open campaign, Coco Gauff and Taylor Fritz led Team USA to win the title at the United Cup by defeating Team Poland in the final.

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After defeating Coco Gauff, Paula Badosa will face Aryna Sabalenka or Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova at the 2025 Australian Open SF

Paula Badosa defeated Coco Gauff at the 2025 Australian Open QF [Image Source: Getty Images]

After triumphing over Coco Gauff in the quarterfinals of the 2025 Australian Open, Paula Badosa will next take on the winner of the quarterfinal match between top seed Aryna Sabalenka and 27th seed Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova in the semifinals.

Badosa has faced Sabalenka seven times on the WTA Tour, with the World No.1 emerging victorious in five of those encounters. Their most recent clash was in the third round of the 2024 French Open, which Sabalenka won.

Meanwhile, Badosa has a perfect record against Pavlyuchenkova, having won both of their previous meetings on the WTA Tour. Their last match-up took place in the quarterfinals of the 2024 Cincinnati Open, where the former World No.2 secured the win over the Russian.

Aryna Sabalenka is the two-time defending champion at the 2025 Australian Open, having claimed the title in 2023 and 2024 by defeating Elena Rybakina and Zheng Qinwen in the finals, respectively. This year, the Belarusian overcame Sloane Stephens, Jessica Bouzas Maneiro, Clara Tauson, and Mirra Andreeva in the first four rounds to secure a spot in the quarterfinals.

On the other hand, Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova's best result at the Melbourne Major has reached the quarterfinals four times - in 2017, 2019, 2020, and now in 2025. This year, the Russian defeated Yuan Yue, Anastasia Potapova, Laura Siegemund, and Donna Vekic to set up her quarterfinal showdown with Aryna Sabalenka.