Coco Gauff defeated Karolina Muchova in straight sets to win the China Open on Sunday, her second championship of the year and seventh overall. The 20-year-old American and last year’s US Open winner won 6-1, 6-3 in one hour and 16 minutes in Beijing. Gauff adds the China Open to her victory in Auckland in January, following a dismal few months by her standards, including losing her New York title in the final 16. The sixth-ranked Gauff, who has a new coaching staff in the Chinese capital after breaking from Brad Gilbert last month, wiped away tears at the finish.
Gauff won her third match in a row against Muchova, who had a career-threatening wrist injury and lost 10 months of tennis before returning this summer. “It’s nice to have you back on the court. “You’re such an incredible player, and hopefully we’ll play many more finals,” Gauff told her defeated Czech opponent.
“It’s incredible to see how well you’ve managed your season after so many injuries,” said Gauff, whose mother was on the court to see her biggest victory since the US Open. Muchova, rated 49th in the world, was the lowest-ranked finalist in the prestigious WTA 1000 tournament’s history.
“You kicked my butt,” said Muchova, last year’s French Open finalist and a two-time US Open champion. Gauff got off to a quick start, breaking for a 2-0 lead in the opening set before holding her serve without giving up a point.
With less than 10 minutes on the clock, the young American led 3-0. Muchova, 28, threw down an ace to get on the board, but Gauff was in the mood, and her serve, which has been her biggest issue lately, was firing. Gauff had three break opportunities in the sixth set, and he converted the first to take a 5-1 lead against a stunned Muchova.
Gauff delivered her third ace of the match, giving her two set points. Her serving wobbles resurfaced briefly, but she completed the first set in 29 minutes on her third set point. Muchova, pursuing just her second title, eliminated first seed Aryna Sabalenka in the quarterfinals before defeating Olympic champion Zheng Qinwen. She regained her footing at the start of the second set and broke for a 2-0 lead, only for Gauff to break back quickly and cruise to an easy victory.