Coco Gauff and Hailey Baptiste will meet in the third round of the Australian Open on Thursday, January 22.
The match will tentatively start at 10 p.m. ET and will be broadcast on ESPN.
Find my Australian Open First Round preview and Gauff vs Baptiste prediction for Thursday below.
Coco Gauff vs Hailey Baptiste Player Prediction
- Gauff vs Baptiste Pick: Gauff to Hit 2+ Aces
My Gauff vs Baptiste best bet is on Gauff to record at least two aces in this match. Make sure to find the best odds by checking our live Australian Open odds page.
Gauff vs Baptiste Odds
| Coco Gauff Odds | -1200 |
| Hailey Baptiste Odds | +700 |
| Spread | Gauff -6.5 (-105), Baptiste +6.5 (-125) |
| Over/Under | 18.5 (-105o / -125u) |
| Gauff vs Baptiste H2H | 1-0 |
| Time | How to Watch | Thursday, 10 p.m. ET | ESPN, ESPN+ |
| Odds via Caesars | |
Gauff vs Baptiste Preview, Prediction
by Tudor Cosma
Coco Gauff Betting Preview
Although the last two Grand Slams of 2025 were a complete disappointment, Gauff had encouraging signs at the end of the tour and remains the World No. 3 for a reason.
Despite some moments where she loses focus or lets matches slip away, her tennis is becoming increasingly solid, featuring a reliable backhand and an efficient forehand, though the latter can still produce unforced errors.
Gauff's serve is strong on the first ball, and she's currently working with a biomechanics specialist to improve her second serve. While the evolution is currently minimal, future progress is expected.
Her 2025 season was highlighted by the Roland Garros trophy, finals in Madrid and Rome and a hard-court title in Wuhan.
She began the 2026 season excellently at the United Cup, defeating Iga Swiatek and Maria Sakkari, and has yet to drop a set at this Australian Open, with convincing victories over Kamilla Rakhimova (6-2, 6-3) and Olga Danilovic (6-2, 6-2).
Hailey Baptiste Betting Preview
Baptiste, ranked No. 70, lacks the notoriety of her opponent, but she's a capable player who reached a career-high of No. 47 last year, suggesting significant room for growth.
The 24-year-old is one of the taller players on tour, and her game is built on raw power. She's aggressive and likes to take control of rallies, which provides her with easy points.
However, she struggles with consistency and unforced errors, making it difficult for her to maintain a high level throughout an entire match against top-tier opposition. Her return game has also been a recurring weakness.
Her 2025 season included a quarterfinal in Auckland and a fourth-round run at Roland Garros. While her form leading into this tournament was shaky — with early losses in Brisbane and Hobart — she's found her rhythm in Melbourne.
She reached the third round by defeating Taylor Townsend in a hard-fought three-setter and then moving past the local favorite, Storm Hunter.
Gauff vs Baptiste Predictions, Betting Analysis
Gauff has been in excellent form and is one of the main favorites to win this Grand Slam. While she has a difficult path ahead — potentially facing Aryna Sabalenka or Mirra Andreeva — she looks capable of beating anyone when playing at her peak.
So far in the tournament, she's recorded only one ace against both Rakhimova and Danilovic. However, Gauff’s average usually exceeds these numbers; for instance, she hit three aces against Swiatek at the United Cup.
Baptiste has served well here, but she can be quite rigid and slow on the return.
I expect Gauff to dial in her serve more in this all-American clash and record at least two aces.
Pick: Gauff to Hit 2+ Aces
