Coco Gauff picked as favourite to lift Australian Open silverware

After making an incredible start to 2024 as she successfully defended her ASB Classic title in Auckland and reached the last four of the Australian Open and French Open, Gauff endured troubled grass-court and North American-hard court campaigns.

The American failed to defend her US Open and Cincinnati Open titles and was also upset by Emma Navarro win the fourth round of Wimbledon while she also lost early at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

She parted company with Brad Gilbert after her Flushing Meadows exit and slipped down the rankings, but soon appointed Matt Daly as coach as he joined her set-up ahead of the Asia swing.

They had instant success as Gauff won the China Open and that was followed by the 20-year-old winning the second biggest title of her career as she won the season-ending WTA Finals, beating Iga Swiatek and Aryna Sabalenka en route to lifting the trophy.

She will start the 2025 season at No 3 in the WTA Rankings and former doubles world No 1 Rennae Stubbs feels Gauff is primed for success at season-opening Grand Slam.

"Looking at the training schedule right now of Coco Gauff on Instagram she is putting in the work," the four-time women's doubles Grand Slam winner said on the Rennae Stubbs podcast.

"I think after the way she finished the way she did that is going to be really interesting to see. I do believe she has absolutely put her hands up to be one of the favourites for the Australian Open."

Besides Sabalenka - who won the Australian Open and US Open - French Open champion Swiatek and Gauff, Jasmine Paolini enjoyed a successful 2024 campaign.

The Italian won her biggest title in Dubai and then went on to claim runners-up trophies Roland Garros and Wimbledon.

Paolini finished at a career-high No 4 in the WTA Rankings, but given her age - she will turn 29 on January 4 - Stubbs feels she is in a prime.

"I think she understands she probably has a window of about three or four years to really capitalise on her age, her experience, and how well she plays," she said.

"It gets harder when you get to your mid-30s. She is at an age right now where she is 28 and is really starting to be in her prime. I think she will be in the top 10 for sure throughout the entire year next year."

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