Coco Gauff showcased her trophy during the award ceremony following the 2024 China Open at the National Tennis Center in Beijing on October 6. In a remarkable performance that lasted just 76 minutes, the former U.S. Open champion defeated Karolina Muchova, last year’s French Open runner-up, with a score of 6-1, 6-3, clinching her first China Open singles title.
The two athletes had faced each other twice before, both times in high-stakes matches at the WTA Cincinnati final and the U.S. Open semifinal last year, with Gauff winning in straight sets on both occasions. In the final match of the China Open, Gauff displayed a dominant form, showcasing excellent serves and backhands. She broke serve early in the first set and followed up with another break in the sixth game, taking the first set with ease at 6-1.
In the second set, Muchova initially broke Gauff’s serve, but Gauff quickly responded with a break of her own. She then broke Muchova’s serve again in the fifth and ninth games, securing the match at 6-3 and claiming the singles crown.
At just 20 years old, this victory marks Gauff’s eighth career title, ending a nearly nine-month title drought since her last win at the WTA 250 event in Auckland in January.
Prior to the tournament, Gauff and Spanish star Carlos Alcaraz visited the Forbidden City, adorned in traditional Chinese attire. Following their respective victories in singles, Gauff humorously remarked in her post-match interview, “Thanks to the Forbidden City for bringing me good luck.”
