Coco Gauff stunned by Paula Badosa at Australian Open in error-filled quarterfinals performance

MELBOURNE, Australia — Coco Gauff’s retooled forehand and serve abandoned her in the worst way and at the worst time at the Australian Open.The unforced errors just kept accumulating, and so did the double-faults and break points, often followed by a palm placed over her eyes or a slap to a thigh.Add it all up, and Gauff’s trip to Melbourne Park — and her 13-match winning streak that dated to late last season — ended in the quarterfinals.

Never able to take control on a hot afternoon in Rod Laver Arena, the 2023 U.S.Open champion was eliminated by No.

11 Paula Badosa of Spain 7-5, 6-4.Using tweaks to some key strokes, and a change to her coaching team after a disappointing end to her title defense in New York in September, the 20-year-old Gauff arrived in Australia with hopes of earning a second Grand Slam title.“I feel like (at the) U.S.Open, I was playing with no solution, so that was more the frustrating part.

Today, I feel like I’m playing with solutions; I know what I need to work on.U.S.

Open, I needed to work on my serve.Not saying that my serve is where I want it to be, but I worked on it; obviously a big improvement.

So I want to continue working on that, continue working on playing aggressive,” Gauff said.“So I feel like I’m on the road to the right way, right path,” she said.“Even though I lost today, I feel like I’m in an upward trajectory.”The American entered Tuesday with a 9-0 record in 2025; she also won her last four matches of last season to collect the trophy at the WTA Finals in November.“Just a lot more work to do,” Gauff said after the 1-hour, 43-minute loss to Badosa, who had been 0-2 in Grand Slam quarterfinals.

“I’m obviously disappointed, but I’m not completely crushed.”Badosa now heads to her first Grand Slam semifinal at age 27.“I’m a bit emotional,” Badosa said.“I wanted to play my best tennis.

I think I did.… I’m super proud of the level I gave today.”She kept the pressure on...