MELBOURNE, Australia — Coco Gauff became the first woman through to the quarterfinals at the Australian Open on Sunday as she beat Magdalena Frech 6-1, 6-2.
The fourth-ranked Gauff, who won her first major at the US Open in September, needed just 63 minutes for victory in a match played at Rod Laver Arena in front of the man himself.
“Luckily, when I saw him come in, I was already well up,” Gauff said of Laver. “I heard clapping and knew it wasn’t for us; it was only the first set. But thank you for coming; it’s an honor.”
Gauff will play Marta Kostyuk or Maria Timofeeva next.