Coco Gauff, ranked sixth in the world, showcased her dominance by defeating unseeded Czech player Karolina Muchova in the China Open final with a score of 6-1, 6-3 on Sunday. With this victory, Gauff made history as the first player to win her first seven WTA hardcourt finals in the Open Era.
During the match, Gauff delivered a powerful performance, hitting 24 winners and adding the Beijing trophy to her previous win at the Auckland Classic this year. This title marks Gauff’s second WTA 1000 championship, following her Cincinnati win in 2023 where she also triumphed over Muchova.
With this latest win, Gauff improved her record against Muchova to 3-0 and has secured eight victories in her nine WTA finals. After the match, Gauff congratulated Muchova, who recently returned to the tour after recovering from a wrist injury sustained during the 2023 U.S. Open. Gauff praised Muchova’s talent and expressed her hope for her to compete in many more finals.
This tournament was Gauff’s first with Matt Daly as part of her coaching team, following her recent split from Brad Gilbert. Gauff expressed gratitude to her team for their support, highlighting their successful collaboration during the tournament.
In the final, Gauff was determined to reverse her recent trend of losing the first set, quickly establishing a 2-0 lead. She maintained her momentum, ultimately taking the first set decisively. Although Muchova briefly took the lead in the second set, Gauff’s aggression allowed her to break back and ultimately secure the win after a series of dominant games.
In the women’s doubles final earlier that day, Olympic gold medallists Sara Errani and Jasmine Paolini emerged victorious against Chan Hao-Ching and Veronika Kudermetova with a score of 6-4, 6-4, claiming their third WTA Tour title of the year.