Coco Gauff played well in her first two matches at the Australian Open, winning all four sets easily and losing only three games.

She will next face fellow American Haley Baptiste for a spot in the fourth round. But for the world No. 3, this is more than just a Grand Slam match. This carries great weight and importance, and Gauff expressed it after her 6-2, 6-2 win over Olga Danilovic on Wednesday.

“It’s a little bit emotional playing Hayley,” the 21-year-old said in an on-court interview at Margaret Court Arena. “Because when I was growing up, there weren’t that many black women or juniors playing. It was like three or four of us there, and we had to deal with a lot of crap that you don’t know about. It really means a lot to us to be here on tour today.”

Gauff and Baptiste, 24, grew up together but have only faced off once on the WTA Tour, driven by Mercedes-Benz. That match took place in Washington in 2023, and DC Gauff won 6-1, 6-4.

Currently ranked 70th in the PIF WTA rankings, Baptiste matched her best result at this week’s Australian Open. She defeated compatriot Taylor Townsend in three sets in the first round, and then defeated Australian favorite Storm Hunter 6-2, 6-1 in the second round.

“It’s really moving because it reminds me of the big dreams I had as a child,” Gauff said. Earlier this week, Ms. Gauff donated $150,000 to support historically black colleges and universities. “I hope Haley and I can play against each other more often and represent them. I see a lot of little girls in the stands and I hope this becomes more and more common in the sports world.”

Gauff and Baptiste are scheduled to play in the secondary following Friday’s match between Daniil Medvedev and Fabian Marozzan at Margaret Court Arena.