Updated January 26, 2020 17:49:09

Photo: Coco Gauff won the first set but eventually went down to Sofia Kenin in three. (AAP: Michael Dodge)

The dream run of Coco Gauff has come to an end the Australian Open, with the 15-year-old going down in three sets to fellow American Sofia Kenin in the fourth round.

Coming off her upset victory over defending champion Naomi Osaka on Friday night, Gauff was on top early against Kenin after winning the opening set on Melbourne Arena.

But Kenin, the women's 14th seed, bounced back to triumph 6-7 (5/7), 6-3, 6-0 in two hours and nine minutes.

Kenin was a worthy winner, but the defeat took nothing away from what Gauff has achieved in Melbourne in what is only the teenager's third appearance at a major.

Gauff became the youngest player to beat a reigning title holder at a Grand Slam tournament since 1991 and was the youngest to reach the last 16 at the Australian Open since Martina Hingis in 1996.

It is her best finish at a major and she can expect a significant rise in the rankings, up from her current standing of 67, as a result of her showing in Melbourne.

Kenin is now through to the quarter-finals of a major for the first time in her career and she will play Tunisian Ons Jabeur in the last eight.

Jabeur downed China's 29th seed Qiang Wang — who stunned seven-time champion Serena Williams in the third round — 7-6 (7-/4), 6-1 on Margaret Court Arena.

Gauff did not seem overawed by the occasion of playing in the fourth round, despite her inexperience in the majors.

She was not rattled when she dropped serve in the opening game of the match, eventually rebounding when she broke Kenin after switching racquets for a 4-4 score line.

Nor was Gauff fazed when Kenin had two break points in the following game, as she recovered to win for a 5-4 lead on serve.

Even when she squandered set points in the tiebreak she was able to find an answer, and with a pump of a fist and a scream of "C'mon!" she celebrated her early advantage amid the roars of the crowd.

Kenin gets on top of Gauff

Kenin, however, fired back in the second set, as she displayed the form that saw her rise as high as number 12 on the WTA Tour rankings in October last year.

Now ranked 15, Kenin broke Gauff in the fourth game to lead 3-1 and went on to comfortably win the set, as she complemented clean ground strokes with an aggressive mindset.

Photo: Kenin is through to the quarter-finals of a major for the first time. (AAP: Michael Dodge)

As unforced errors crept further into Gauff's game, she made a disastrous start to the third set when she was broken immediately by her 21-year-old opponent.

To her credit, Gauff refused to give up and she had two break points in the fourth game of the third set, only for Kenin to hold and stretch her lead.

Down 0-5 and with Kenin serving for the match, Gauff's fighting qualities were again on display.

She saved a match point but could not halt the momentum of Kenin, who shed tears on the court upon realising she had advanced to the quarter-finals.

Meanwhile, Petra Kvitova awaits the winner of tonight's match between world number one Ash Barty and Alison Riske after the Czech seventh seed won through to the last eight.

Kvitova, runner-up at Melbourne Park a year ago, lost the first set to Greece's 22nd seed Maria Sakkari, before bouncing back to post a 6-7 (4/7) , 6-3, 6-2 victory on Rod Laver Arena.

Topics: sport, tennis, australian-open, melbourne-3000

First posted January 26, 2020 17:02:23