MELBOURNE, Australia — There’s a young woman who looks a lot like Coco Gauff at Melbourne Park for the Australian Open. She has the same fiery, competitive eyes, the same tendency to break out in a giggle in the middle of a sentence and the same number of titles.

The 20-year-old said she is a Marvel fanatic, and wanted to bring a touch of superhero to her New Balance apparel for 2025's opening Slam.

Coco Gauff has made improvements to her serving and her forehand. And the strides in both of those areas are among the reasons she's considered one of the few women ready to challenge two-time defending champion Aryna Sabalenka for the title at the Australian Open.

The young American star will look to win her second-ever Grand Slam and improve upon her semifinal performance from last year at the 2025 Australian Open.

Gauff could hit some of the hardest first serves on tour, but her iffy second serve and wonky forehand had never been a secret. When she hits a forehand, she uses what’s known as an extreme Western grip,

It seems Coco Gauff now has an extra weapon in her armoury as she bids to win the Australian Open for the first time. The American has started 2025 in stunning fashion, winning all five of her matches as Team USA claimed the United Cup, beating Poland in the final in Sydney.

Given everything she has already achieved in her fledgling career – and the weight of expectation she has borne as one of tennis’ rising superstars – it’s sometimes easy to forget that Coco Gauff is still only 20 years old.

After a disappointing US Open, Coco Gauff made changes to her game and her coaching staff. The results have been undeniable.