Coco Gauff says Novak Djokovic and Serena Williams key to return game as she eyes Alycia Parks test at Australian Open

Coco Gauff says she has taken inspiration from watching Novak Djokovic and Serena Williams perfect their returns as she tries to improve her all-round game.

Gauff overcame the big-serving Dolehide in straight sets on Wednesday, and now goes on to meet another American, Alycia Parks, in the third round in Melbourne.

“I actually practice a lot on it,” Gauff said of her returns in her post-match press conference.

“One of the reasons why is because when I used to see Serena practice, she would spend like hours or a whole practice almost on her returns, which is why she’s such an incredible returner.

“Playing today with the big server [Dolehide] and then obviously the next round I’m going to play a big server [Parks], I think just putting the return in makes such a big difference, whether it’s a great return or not.

“I do spend a lot of time on it. Serve and returns I think are one of the most important shots in tennis, because it starts the point and it, you know, sets you up.

“For me, I try to spend, like, equal amount on serve and returning. I think my returns are something that’s improved over the years, and hopefully I can keep improving them.

“I’ve watched a lot of Novak because I want to return like him. He’s probably the best returner. Yeah, he definitely is. I want to return like him. If you look at his swings on the returns, it’s not like full cuts. It’s a lot shorter and abbreviated to when he actually hits.

“I realise when you’re serving, someone is serving hard, you can just use their pace against them. I think that’s the model. Sometimes it’s not always easy, but that’s something I feel like is what I work on and practice on a lot.”

Gauff’s returns, as she is keenly aware, will face a tough test when she comes up against childhood friend Parks, who she also included in her top five ‘movers’ on the WTA Tour, alongside the likes of world No. 1 Iga Swiatek.

The unseeded Parks, 23, beat Leylah Fernandez in the second round to set up her meeting with Gauff.

“I have known her [Parks] for a long time, since I was, like, maybe like nine years old,” Gauff said. “[I] used to practice with her and her sister. We both lived in Delray Beach, or, like, in that area. Yeah, I know her very well.

“She has a big game, big serve, big shots, very athletic. I think she’s one of the most, if not the most athletic players on tour.

“Like me, her, Sloane [Stephens], and Iga are probably up there, and [Maria] Sakkari. And there is more I’m probably missing. Those would be my top 5. She’s up there.

“It’s going to be a tough match. I don’t expect it to be easy. I’ve never played her actually since that age, other than the mixed doubles we had at the US Open, but I’ve never played her in practice or anything.

“We’re both going in, you know, not blind because we obviously watched each other, but never hit or anything. It’s going to be a tough match.

“She’s a great player, and I always knew she was going to do well on tour. It was just a matter of when it was all going to align. I think now it’s starting to align.”

Gauff won her first major at last year’s US Open, beating Aryna Sabalenka in the final in front of a frenzied home crowd.

She said that the comparatively “chill” atmosphere at the so-called ‘Happy Slam’ in Melbourne has caused her to feel “less stress” in her first major since that momentous run.

She said: “[It’s] definitely more chill [than the US Open]. You can even see in the press room, there’s only a couple of you guys here, whereas US Open it was full. Definitely more chill.

“The crowd support is different, for sure. The last matches obviously I have been more the favourite in the crowd but it’s not like the New York crowd.

“But I like Australian Open, and I like the chill vibes here. I feel less stress here.

“Just walking around in Melbourne, I don’t really get recognised that much, which is nice. Just walking to dinner, maybe one or two people notice, and it’s something that I appreciate a lot.”

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