Coco Gauff battled past Elina Svitolina 6-7(4) 6-3 6-3 in the Auckland Classic final on Sunday to retain her title, and will head to the Australian Open brimming with confidence as she targets a second Grand Slam crown. Gauff, who burst onto the scene at Wimbledon five years ago, enjoyed a stellar 2023 as the 19-year-old American won her first major trophy at the U.S. Open in September to reach a career-high world ranking of number three.
