Coco Gauff showcased her dominance at the China Open, defeating Karolina Muchova in straight sets to secure her second title of the year. The young American, now eighth in the world, demonstrated her power and resilience, overcoming a recent period of inconsistency to claim victory in Beijing.
Coco Gauff, the 2023 US Open champion, battled back from a set down to defeat Paula Badosa in the China Open semifinals, setting up a final showdown against either Zheng Qinwen or Karolina Muchova. Gauff’s victory comes after a recent period of struggles, including a split with her coach Brad Gilbert. She’s looking to win her second title of the year and eighth overall.
Aryna Sabalenka, the second-ranked player in the world, continued her impressive run, extending her winning streak to 15 matches with a dominant victory over Madison Keys at the China Open. She now faces Karolina Muchova in the quarterfinals.
Spain’s Paula Badosa stunned US Open finalist Jessica Pegula in the China Open last 16, while China’s Zhang Shuai became the lowest-ranked player ever to reach the quarterfinals of the tournament.
Four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka secured her spot in the China Open round of 16, defeating Katie Volynets in straight sets. Osaka, now coached by Patrick Mouratoglou, faces a high-profile clash with Coco Gauff in the next round.
World number three Carlos Alcaraz expressed concern over the steroid case involving Jannik Sinner, calling it a negative development for tennis but offered support for the world number one. Alcaraz acknowledged the difficult situation Sinner faces after twice testing positive for clostebol, despite Sinner’s explanation that the substance entered his system through a physiotherapist’s spray. Alcaraz emphasized Sinner’s strong performance despite the controversy and urged for the situation to be resolved quickly.
Daniil Medvedev started his China Open campaign with a win over Gael Monfils, while Jack Draper pulled off a major upset in Tokyo, defeating second-seeded Hubert Hurkacz. In the women’s draw, Emma Navarro suffered an upset, and Jessica Pegula is set to open her tournament against Diane Parry.
American tennis star Coco Gauff has added Matt Daly to her coaching team, alongside her long-time mentor Jean-Christophe Faurel, with a specific focus on improving her serve. This comes after a disappointing US Open title defence where she struggled with double faults. Gauff believes that improving her serve will significantly elevate her overall game, and is excited about the changes and potential for improvement in the upcoming season.
World No. 1 Jannik Sinner fought back from a set down to defeat Nicolas Jarry in a thrilling match, launching his defense of his China Open title. Sinner’s victory sets up a potential clash with Stan Wawrinka in the next round.
Former world No. 1 Naomi Osaka began her China Open campaign with a convincing victory over Lucia Bronzetti, while Sofia Kenin and Taylor Townsend also secured their places in the second round. The tournament marks Osaka’s return to Beijing after a four-year absence due to the COVID-19 pandemic and a WTA boycott of China.
