Coco Gauff reveals why her dad was not in her player’s box for Australian Open win

Coco Gauff’s dad was nowhere to be seen during her third-round win at the Australian Open on Friday

Coco Gauff said her dad was not in her player's box due to struggling to control his courtside reactions (AFP via Getty Images)

Coco Gauff advanced to the Australian Open fourth round on Friday, overcoming a slow start to beat Hailey Baptiste 3-6 6-0 6-3.

Her father, Corey, was notably absent from her player's box – a deliberate family decision due to his intense courtside reactions, although Gauff confirmed he was "somewhere at Melbourne Park" unseen by her.

"The reason why is he can't control his reactions," Gauff told reporters with a smile. "It's not necessarily for me but for him. I told him, 'We've just got to cut it'."

Gauff added that her father was in the gym during her 2023 US Open final victory.

Gauff battled back from a set down to win her third round match (REUTERS)

"I heard when I won the US Open he was in the gym, and the TV was behind so the gym attendant had to tell him I actually won. So he needed to run out and greet me in the crowd," Gauff recounted.

Her French Open triumph last year also saw him absent, with Gauff noting he's often "pacing and locked in on screens around the site."

Despite a nervous first set, Gauff, often criticised for double-faults, significantly improved her serve against the world number 70, setting up a clash with Czech 19th seed Karolina Muchova.

Reflecting on her improved serve, Gauff stated: "I think at this point I have the right motion. I feel like I'm working on the right things.

“Now it's just trying to, I guess, erase old demons and actually do it. Hopefully, as I continue to get better with that stroke, I think the results will be more consistent because I actually will not be giving away 20 points in a match from double-faulting."

Gauff is yet to win the Australian Open, with her best run coming back in 2024 when she reached the semi-finals, but she is hoping to change that this year.