What a difference a few months makes. Coco Gauff captured the second WTA 1000 title of her career on Sunday in Beijing with a 6-1, 6-2 triumph over Karolina Muchova in the final of the China Open.
Gauff’s one hour and 16-minute victory earned her a second title of 2024, and first since she triumphed at the ASB Classic in Auckland in the first week of the season. Her effort in Beijing marked the first event that Gauff contested since splitting with coach Brad Gilbert after the US Open, and with new coach Matt Daly.
Read more: Coco Gauff adds Matt Daly to coaching team, aims to work on serve ahead of China Open
Having beaten Muchova in straight sets in each of their previous meetings, a 3-0 start in the opener set the tone for Gauff in the match. She broke Muchova in a marathon second game, and bookened that with two holds at love. The American hit 10 winners to just three unforced errors in the first seven games, and won 94% of points behind her first serve, while the Czech posted the inverse of Gauff’s numbers in her own winners-to-unforced errors tally.
