Coco Gauff wants to prove she is more than simply a "teenage phenomenon" as she bids to become a grand slam champion at the Australian Open.
The 18-year-old faces Katerina Siniakova in the first round in Melbourne on Monday, ranked as the seventh seed for the first major of the year.
Gauff has enjoyed a remarkable start to her career, winning the first of three WTA Tour singles titles at the age of just 15 at the 2019 Linz Open.
She reached the last 16 at Wimbledon in the same year after defeating Venus Williams in the opening round, but Gauff is hungry to make her reputation more than just an age thing as she seeks a first major.
"Starting another season as an established pro feels pretty weird. I'm still only 18, but I don't feel like the new kid anymore," she said in a BBC Sport column on Sunday.
"I feel I'm ready to leave behind the tag of 'teenage phenomenon'. Now it is time to be known as a grand slam champion.
"I feel like all the players still call me a baby, and usually I'm still one of the youngest in the draw, but I've been around for a while. My main ambition for 2023 is winning a grand slam title. That's the biggest goal.
"It is something I have chased for my whole life and I came so close last year by reaching the French Open final. If winning a major doesn't happen this year, I will continue to chase this dream."
Gauff was a 6-1 6-3 loser to Iga Swiatek in the Roland Garros final last year, with the Pole dominating the WTA as she claimed eight titles, including the French Open and US Open.
Teenager Gauff was tearful after that match in Paris but has started this season by winning the Auckland Open, becoming the sixth American player to secure three or more WTA-level titles in the last 40 years before turning 19.
Monica Seles, Jennifer Capriati, Lindsay Davenport, Venus and Serena Williams were the others to achieve that feat and Gauff hopes she can learn from previous failures to succeed in Australia this month.
The world number seven added: "I know I can win a grand slam title. Now it is about making the final step. One of my other goals was to win a WTA Tour title – I didn't do that last year – and I have already that checked off by winning in Auckland last week.
"The signs are good and hopefully this success continues throughout the season."
If successful, Gauff could become the first teenage female player to reach the final at the Australian Open since Maria Sharapova in 2007 and the first to win the title since Martina Hingis in 1999.
Bellingham hails 'world-class' Ancelotti after Champions League heroics
Jude Bellingham lauded Carlo Ancelotti for unlocking previously unknown potential in his game as the pair celebrated Champions League success on Saturday.
The England international ended his first season in the Spanish capital with LaLiga and European glory, after the 2-0 victory over Bellingham's former club Borussia Dortmund at Wembley Stadium.
A battling victory secured Los Blancos' 15th trophy in Europe's top competition, at least eight more than any other side (Milan, seven), as Ancelotti made further history.
The Italian has won the European Cup/UEFA Champions League more times than any other manager (five), with three of those coming in charge of Madrid.
That is also the joint-most for a manager in charge of a specific team, along with Bob Paisley at Liverpool (three) and Zinedine Zidane, also at Madrid (three).
Bellingham was quick to hail the work of veteran boss Ancelotti before the party started for Madrid in London.
"He has unlocked a part of my game that I didn't know I had," Bellingham told TNT Sports. "That is the thing about world-class coaches, they make you realise how good you can be.
"They test the limits of your potential. It is like being at school again, you learn something new every day and get better and better."
This was the sixth winning campaign for Madrid quadruple Toni Kroos, Luka Modric, Dani Carvajal and Nacho in the Champions League, taking them level with Paco Gento (six) as the players who have won the European competition the most times in history.
Working alongside those players comes with its challenges, though, Bellingham says.
The 20-year-old continued: "Special feeling. Some of my team-mates have five or six titles and they said enjoy your first as it's a feeling like no other when you reach the top of the mountain.
"It's important to maintain that level but never forget your first and enjoy it. They were the better team for the majority but it comes down to moments and if you don't kill us, then it will come back to haunt you."
Having celebrated their league and continental double, Madrid could soon welcome the arrival of world-class forward Kylian Mbappe, who is set to leave Paris Saint-Germain when his contract expires.
With Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo usually either side of him up top, Bellingham expressed his excitement over an enticing link-up with the France attacker.
"It would be amazing if a player like him arrived," Bellingham added. "One of the best in the world."
Djokovic labels Musetti thriller as his greatest French Open showing
Novak Djokovic was in the mood for partying after surviving a thriller against Lorenzo Musetti, describing the performance as his greatest French Open showing.
The world number one battled long into the Paris night to secure a 7-5 6-7 (6-8) 2-6 6-3 6-0 victory in four hours and 29 minutes across Saturday and into Sunday.
The third-round marathon finished at 3:08 a.m. local time at Roland-Garros, shattering the tournament's previous latest finish of 1:25 a.m.
This victory also saw Djokovic equal Roger Federer (369) for the most major singles match wins of any male or female player in the Open Era.
"He played a fantastic match and came very close to victory," Djokovic said on court.
"I was in great difficulties but thanks to your support in the fourth set, I became a different player. It was perhaps the best match I have played here."
A stunning fightback also marked Djokovic's 36th five-set win at grand slams – the most of any player in the Open Era.
The 24-time major champion next faces Argentina's Francisco Cerundolo, who advanced to the fourth round for the second consecutive year.
Yet before that, the Serbian wanted to celebrate.
"Who's going to sleep now?" Djokovic added. "It's impossible to sleep, so much adrenaline. If you're having a party, I'm coming."
Djokovic must reach the final in the French capital to remain at the top of the ATP rankings, though Jannik Sinner would overtake him regardless if he reaches the showpiece.
Svitolina to face Rybakina after passing Bogdan test
Elina Svitolina will face Elena Rybakina in a marquee fourth-round tie at the French Open after successfully moving into the second week.
The Ukrainian defeated Ana Bogdan 7-5 6-2 on Saturday to reach the last 16 for the sixth time in her career.
Both players struggled on serve, with 11 breaks in total during the match, but it was Svitolina who ultimately emerged triumphant after a back-and-forth contest and a rain delay, firing 28 winners.
Fifteenth seed Svitolina will now hope to halt the Paris charge of fourth seed Rybakina, who is yet to drop a set at the tournament so far. It will be a tough ask, but Svitolina does lead the head-to-head 2-1.
An all-American clash between Madison Keys and Emma Navarro on Court Suzanne-Lenglen was one of the other standout matches.
Navarro had never before reached the fourth round at a major, while Keys was a former semi-finalist at Roland-Garros.
But it was Navarro who claimed a hard-fought victory, getting the better of two tie-breaks to win 7-6 (7-5) 7-6 (7-3) to book a huge clash against second seed Aryna Sabalenka.
Jasmine Paolini is also through to round four after seeing off former US Open champion Bianca Andreescu 6-1 3-6 6-0.
Mirra Andreeva, meanwhile, is the youngest player to reach the French Open last 16 since Nicole Vaidisova in 2006 after beating Peyton Stearns in straight sets.
The 17-year-old raced to a 6-2 6-1 win in only 67 minutes.
Sabalenka and Rybakina had earlier completed routine victories over Paula Badosa and Elise Mertens respectively.
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