By Richard Pagliaro | Friday, January 2, 2026Photo credit: United Cup Facebook
Two-time Grand Slam champion Coco Gauff carries a triple threat of goals into the New Year.
A year ago, Gauff and Taylor Fritz led the United States to the United Cup championship. Gauff went 5-0 in United Cup play and did not drop a set in victories over Iga Swiatek, Karolina Muchova and Leylah Fernandez.
Back in Perth ahead of Team USA’s United Cup Group A opener against Argentina, Gauff shared her three primary goals for the 2026 season.
The reigning Roland Garros champion is aiming for more consistency, to go deep in all four Grand Slams and to “touch the No. 1 ranking.”
“I think just consistency. I would like to go deep in all the slams this year,” Gauff told the media in Perth. “Yeah, obviously I would like to touch No. 1 ranking. That would be pretty cool. But yeah, I think just being consistent throughout the year.”
World No. 3 Gauff, who spent the offseason training at home in Florida, currently trails world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka by 4,107 ranking points. However, Sabalenka is defending 3,580 ranking points between now and the end of the Miami Open in March, including 1,800 points Down Under as reigning Brisbane champion and 2025 Australian Open runner-up to Madison Keys.
Whereas 2025 AO quarterfinalist Gauff is defending just 1,190 ranking points between the start of this season and the end of the Miami Open. Gauff said she’s focusing on her next match rather than the race for the top spot.
“For me personally, I just look the next match. I always say, you know, you got to win the matchbefore you get there, and then you worry about that later,” Gauff said. “Tennis is one of those sports that one week can change your season. So a player can be playing like this oneweek and the next play unbelievable.
“Yeah, I think for me I just like to look one match in advance. I always watch tennis. I love watching tennis. I’m watching it on a fan standpoint. Not necessarily always scouting.”
While bidding to become the world’s best player, Gauff said she’s also hopeful American fans will show more support at United Cup where they are often outnumbered.
“I’ll be honest, no. I feel like we’re definitely, in the tennis department, the worst when itcomes to that,” Gauff said. “So I’ve always said I wish our country in other places would show up throughout the world as we see maybe smaller countries support.
“But I also think it’s just because of our country is good in so many sports, so it’s just hard. Yeah, I definitely think there are Americans that come out more in Melbourne than necessarily here, but I would like to see some more Americans, if we make it to Sydney, in Sydney than there were last year.”
