With increased confidence in her serve thanks to some advice from Andy Roddick, Coco Gauff began her quest for back-to-back grand slam singles titles with a 6-3, 6-0 victory over Anna Karolina Schmiedlova at the Australian Open on Monday.
The 19-year-old American, who won her first major at the US Open in September, wrapped up victory in exactly one hour.
“I was a little nervous the first set,” fourth-seeded Gauff said. “I think I did well returning, then I found my serve toward the end [of the set]. When I was nervous at 3-3, I told myself: ‘I feel good, I look good, so just have fun’. That was able to relax me a little bit’.”
Gauff dropped just one point on her serve in the second set and said that Roddick, a fellow US Open champion, had recently given her some serving tips.
“It was really cool,” she said. “He’s a really chill guy. I met him before but never to that level. I went to [North Carolina to see him] for two days. It was a really good two days. I think that my serve has improved. He’s probably one of the best servers in history.”
Another US hope, Ben Shelton, is more concerned about his next match at the Australian Open than something Novak Djokovic may have said or done after their US Open semi-final last September.
The pair could meet again in the fourth round at Melbourne Park, where Djokovic is aiming for his 11th Australian Open title.
The 16th-seeded Shelton, who reached the quarter-finals last year in his first Australian Open, beat Spanish veteran Roberto Bautista Agut 6-2, 7-6, 7-5 on Monday. He’ll meet Australian Chris O’Connell in the second round.
Comments attributed to Djokovic by the French sports newspaper L’Equipe emerged this week, saying the 24-time major winner mocked Shelton in New York in retaliation for some unsporting provocation and a lack of respect.
After winning the semi-final, Djokovic mimicked the American’s “Hang up the phone” celebration gesture. He then pointed to his temple and pounded his fist on his chest. At the time, Djokovic said he was merely copying the celebration.
Shelton had gained a following during the tournament for his victory celebrations – pretending his hand is an old-style telephone handset that he slams down.
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In a news conference after Shelton’s opening win on Monday, a journalist read out the comments reported by L’Equipe.
“I feel like I’ve been asked about it constantly in the last four or five months,” Shelton said. “I would rather just let it settle and move forward. We’re in Australia now, and we’re at the Australian Open and not the US Open anymore. I’m just focusing on the Australian Open and happy and grateful to be here.”
Asked if he ever deliberately did things to provoke a rival, Shelton said he just wants to enjoy himself on the tennis court.
“Everyone can have their opinion on who I am or how I act,” he said. “But, yeah, I don’t have an answer to your question.”
As for the timing of Djokovic’s comments, Shelton said he’d answered questions about it in the past because of the media interview environment and it’s “not like I want to openly talk about this, or I would even bring it up.”
There were also victories for Americans Sebastian Korda, Chris Eubanks, Aleksandar Kovacevic in the men’s draw on Monday. US women had a tougher day: wildcard McCartney Kessler joined Gauff in the second round but there were defeats for Kayla Day, Taylor Townsend, Bernarda Pera, Claire Liu and Katie Volynets.