Coco Gauff defeats Karolina Muchova in China Open final for eighth WTA title

World number six Coco Gauff dominated unseeded Czech player Karolina Muchova to win the China Open – the eighth WTA title of her career and first since January.

The American fourth seed had struggled on her serve earlier in the week and had to fight back from a set down in her three previous matches on her way to her first final since victory in Auckland early this year.

But the 2023 US Open champion showed little sign of that vulnerability as she claimed a 6-1 6-3 win in one hour and 17 minutes.

Gauff jokingly attributed her improved form to a visit to Beijing’s Forbidden City with men’s winner Carlos Alcaraz.

“I think the Imperial Palace has brought us happiness, so maybe I will visit next year and experience the same happiness,” she told an appreciative Chinese audience.

There was nothing happy about the way the 20-year-old star tore through the opening set in just 30 minutes, harassing her opponent in a series of unforced errors and claiming two breaks of service.

World number 49 Muchova, who was ranked eighth before her long layoff due to a wrist injury suffered at the 2023 US Open, had beaten top seed Aryna Sabalenka and Olympic champion Zheng Qinwen in earlier rounds but could not match Gauff’s to match. strength and athleticism.

The 28-year-old had lost her two previous matches against the young American, including the final of last year’s Cincinnati Open, and suffered defeats in four of her previous five WTA finals.

However, Muchova started the second set more positively, opening a 2-0 lead after Gauff’s problems with her serve briefly resurfaced as she sent two double faults to give her opponent the early break.

But Gauff immediately broke back and started a run of four straight games.

Muchova ultimately gifted her opponent the victory by firing a backhand long with her 24th unforced error which, compared to Gauff’s 24 winners, told the story of the match.

“I want to congratulate you, Karolina, it’s great to see you on tour again,” Gauff said in her post-match interview.

“I think you are such a great player. You deserve everything and hopefully you will play many more finals.”

Gauff also thanked her new coach Matt Daly, adding that “obviously things are going well” after winning her first tournament under his guidance.

She ended her partnership with Brad Gilbert last month following her fourth-round exit at the US Open, where she failed to defend her crown.

Victory in the WTA 1,000 event in Beijing moved Gauff into fourth place in the Race to the Finals, with the top seven qualifying for the season-ending tournament in Riyadh in November.

She now advances to the Wuhan Open, which starts on Monday.