section_path: Professional/2020: Australian Open fourth round
section_name: 2020: Australian Open fourth round
paragraph_text: 2020: Australian Open fourth round
  
  Starting 2020 at the Auckland Open ranked No. 67 in the world, Gauff defeated Viktória Kužmová before losing to Laura Siegemund in the second round. Playing doubles with McNally, Gauff reached the semifinals.
  
  At the Australian Open, Gauff defeated Venus Williams in straight sets in the first round and Sorana Cîrstea in the second round, making it three straight majors where she reached the third round. She defeated defending champion Osaka in the third, becoming the youngest player to defeat a top-5 player since Jennifer Capriati beat Gabriela Sabatini at the 1991 US Open. In the fourth round, she lost to the eventual champion, Sofia Kenin. In doubles, Gauff and McNally recorded their best result in a major championship to date, reaching the quarterfinals before falling to second seeds and eventual champions, Kristina Mladenovic and Tímea Babos.
  
  Gauff beat two top-50 players at the Lexington Challenger, before losing in straight sets to world No. 49, Jennifer Brady. At the Western and Southern Open, played in New York, Gauff lost in the first round to world No. 21, Maria Sakkari. At the US Open, Gauff was defeated in the first round by Anastasija Sevastova.
  
  Gauff, ranked 53, beat world No. 34, Ons Jabeur, in the first round of the Italian Open before losing to two-time major champion Garbiñe Muguruza. At the French Open, Gauff defeated the ninth seed and world No. 13, Johanna Konta, in the first round, but went on to lose to eventual quarterfinalist Martina Trevisan in a second-round match in which Gauff hit 19 double faults. At the Ostrava Open, she qualified for the main draw and was defeated by world No. 12, Aryna Sabalenka, in the second round.
  
  Starting 2020 at the Auckland Open ranked No. 67 in the world, Gauff defeated Viktória Kužmová before losing to Laura Siegemund in the second round. Playing doubles with McNally, Gauff reached the semifinals.
  
  At the Australian Open, Gauff defeated Venus Williams in straight sets in the first round and Sorana Cîrstea in the second round, making it three straight majors where she reached the third round. She defeated defending champion Osaka in the third, becoming the youngest player to defeat a top-5 player since Jennifer Capriati beat Gabriela Sabatini at the 1991 US Open. In the fourth round, she lost to the eventual champion, Sofia Kenin. In doubles, Gauff and McNally recorded their best result in a major championship to date, reaching the quarterfinals before falling to second seeds and eventual champions, Kristina Mladenovic and Tímea Babos.
  
  Gauff beat two top-50 players at the Lexington Challenger, before losing in straight sets to world No. 49, Jennifer Brady. At the Western and Southern Open, played in New York, Gauff lost in the first round to world No. 21, Maria Sakkari. At the US Open, Gauff was defeated in the first round by Anastasija Sevastova.
  
  Gauff, ranked 53, beat world No. 34, Ons Jabeur, in the first round of the Italian Open before losing to two-time major champion Garbiñe Muguruza. At the French Open, Gauff defeated the ninth seed and world No. 13, Johanna Konta, in the first round, but went on to lose to eventual quarterfinalist Martina Trevisan in a second-round match in which Gauff hit 19 double faults. At the Ostrava Open, she qualified for the main draw and was defeated by world No. 12, Aryna Sabalenka, in the second round.