Coco Gauff’s United Cup Win Over Iga Swiatek Sparks Optimistic Predictions From Ex-Pro Ahead of 2025 Season

“I couldn’t get my serve in the court my first serve suffered because I was hitting myself because I was trying to get my first serve in the court because I didn’t want to hit a second serve,” said a dejected Coco Gauff last season after losing against World No.1 Aryna Sabalenka in the Wuhan Open SF, in October. But the 20-year-old seems to have gone a through a complete transition lately. It began with Riyadh, in November, where she won the WTA Finals with an impressive on-court movement and an improved serve. In 2025, she’s continued her domination with the United Cup down under. She led USA to a second title win, after conquering arch rival Iga Swiatek in the final. Looking at her current form, former WTA pro Rennae Stubbs has now made a wild prediction!

On January 5, Gauff defeated five-time Grand Slam winner Swiatek in the title clash of the 2025 United Cup between America and Poland. While the Pole showed some toughness, the 2023 US Open gave her no chance. She succeeded in clinching her second-straight win over Swiatek, after the group stage of the WTA Finals. In the United Cup encounter, she thrashed the former World No.1 6-4, 6-4. Looking at Gauff’s unmatched performance, while calling her the “MVP of the United Cup” ex-WTA pro, Rennae Stubbs has backed her chances ahead of the Australian Open.

In an episode of the Rennae Stubbs podcast, dated January 7, the former Australian player praised Gauff’s improved playing style. “Listen, if she doesn’t miss her forehand, which she’s not doing anymore, there’s no where to go on the tennis court against Coco Gauff. There’s no where to go. She runs every single ball down. She is the best athlete,” she said.

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Commenting on her and Swiatek’s United Cup face-off, she added, “We saw the two best athletes going at it against each other with Iga and Coco. And the difference is, the Coco, she just gets that loop on the forehand now. I think, you know, Iga’s trying to mix up the speed on her forehand and on her ground stroke. She’s trying to get some high balls in there, which is very good for her to do. She needs to change the pace, particularly against someone like a Coco, or like anybody really.”

“But the fact that Coco doesn’t miss now, she’s willing to move forward a little bit more than Iga. Iga has to be more comfortable coming into the net. But against someone like Coco, when she runs the ball down, she can hit a winner past you, because her speed is able to get over to a ball that a lot of girls are struggling and maybe just hitting with one hand on the backhand. Coco’s getting over there and hitting it with two hands, and she’s passing you,” she explained.

Issuing a warning to rival players, Stubbs then mentioned that “if you’re not a great mover into the net and able to understand how to move at the net, you are going to be in trouble against” Gauff. She then went on to make her own prediction for the Australian Open’s top 4. Undoubtedly, she’s seeing Coco Gauff on that list! According to her, “if I can see Rybakina, Iga, Coco, and Sabalenka in the semi-finals at the Australian Open and those four going at it, great,” she concluded.

Remember, Stubbs backed Gauff before the WTA Finals last year as well? She said, “If she serves less than six double faults in her matches, no matter what match she plays, she will win the tournament.” Well, it seems the young tennis sensation has effectively worked on this issue and now she’s clearly looking nearly invincible going forward. As of now, her entire focus is on the Australian Open.

Coco Gauff exudes confidence ahead of the Australian Open 2025

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Coco Gauff‘s best run at the first major of the season came last year. In January 2024, she managed to reach the SF round of the coveted event. However, she couldn’t move past the wall of Aryna Sabalenka. The latter beat her 7-6, 6-4 and went on to win her third Grand Slam trophy as well in the final, defeating Qinwen Zheng. But will Gauff do one better this time? Seems like she will, according to her confident response going into the event that kicks off this Sunday.

After making her country the winner of the United Cup, the youngster is hopeful of a great performance in Melbourne. “Obviously, this start of the season gives me a lot of confidence. I feel like when I’m playing confident tennis, I’m playing great tennis. I definitely feel confident going into AO,” she said, as reported by Forbes on January 7.

Following her victory over Swiatek in the United Cup final, she made it quite evident. “I think just confidence. I think I have the belief that I’m one of the best players in the world and when I play good tennis, I’m hard to beat,” said Gauff in a post-match interview.

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Even Rennae Stubbs believes she can win the tournament this time. In a previous episode of her podcast, after Gauff’s WTA Finals victory in 2024, the former World No.1 said “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 favorites for the Australian Open.” Do you think the World No.3 has got a real shot at the first major of 2025? Let us know in the comments below.

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