2026 Australian Open: I Couldn’t Raise My Level – Gauff After Quarterfinal Exit
World number three Coco Gauff has voiced her disappointment after crashing out of the 2026 Australian Open at the quarterfinal stage following a heavy defeat to Elina Svitolina.
The American star was overpowered 6-1, 6-2 by the Ukrainian in the early hours of Tuesday, January 27, bringing an abrupt end to her Melbourne campaign. The loss denied Gauff a highly anticipated semifinal showdown with defending Australian Open champion Aryna Sabalenka, who had beaten her at the same stage of last year’s tournament.
Svitolina produced a commanding performance, dictating play from the baseline and giving Gauff little room to settle into the contest. The victory also saw the former world number three climb back into the top 10 of the WTA rankings, underlining her return to top form.
Speaking after the match, Gauff admitted she was unable to elevate her game in response to Svitolina’s intensity.
“She played really well and unfortunately, usually when people raise their level I’m able to raise mine, and today I just didn’t do that, so I have to figure out how not to do that again,” Gauff said.
The 21-year-old also pointed to technical struggles that compounded her problems throughout the match.
“The backhand wasn’t firing, the forehand wasn’t really firing, returns, there was a lot that didn’t go well today,” she added.
Despite the early exit, Gauff’s run to the quarterfinals continues a solid start to the 2026 season, though she will be keen to address the shortcomings exposed in Melbourne as she turns her focus to the upcoming tournaments on the WTA Tour.
