In her first tournament since joining forces with new coach Matt Daly, Coco Gauff has already reaped rewards by clinching her second WTA title of 2024 at the China Open. The 20-year-old American, ranked world No. 6, secured a commanding 6-1 6-3 victory over unseeded Karolina Muchova in the final, marking her first title since January and her eighth overall on the WTA Tour.
Gauff’s dominant performance against the Czech player, currently ranked No. 49, was reminiscent of her best form. The young star stormed through the first set in just 30 minutes, pressuring Muchova into repeated unforced errors and claiming two breaks of serve.
Muchova, who was once ranked as high as No. 8 before a wrist injury at the 2023 US Open sidelined her, had a standout tournament, defeating top seed Aryna Sabalenka and home favorite Zheng Qinwen. However, she couldn’t match Gauff’s intensity, power, and athleticism. The 28-year-old had lost her previous two encounters with Gauff, including the 2023 Cincinnati Open final, and struggled in four of her last five WTA finals. Despite a brief resurgence early in the second set when she led 2-0 after Gauff double-faulted twice, Gauff quickly regained control. A series of four consecutive games for the American led her to the victory, with Muchova’s 24th unforced error—a long backhand—bringing the match to an anticlimactic end.
Post-match, Gauff graciously praised her opponent: “I want to say congratulations to you, Karolina, it’s great to see you back on tour. I think you’re such an amazing player.” Gauff also gave credit to her new coach, Daly, reflecting on the positive changes since they began working together. “Obviously, things are going well,” she said with a smile. The partnership comes after her recent split with former coach Brad Gilbert, following a disappointing fourth-round exit at last month’s US Open.
The China Open title extended Gauff’s perfect record in hard-court finals, making her 7-0 in such matches—a unique accomplishment in the Open Era. Moreover, she’s the youngest Beijing champion in 14 years and only the second American to lift this trophy, following in the footsteps of Serena Williams, who won in 2004 and 2013.
Gauff’s journey to the title had not been without its challenges. She had battled through two tough three-set matches earlier in the week, struggling with her serve along the way. Yet, in the final, those concerns were a distant memory. She dispatched Muchova in just one hour and 17 minutes, striking 24 winners and breaking her opponent’s serve five times.
Now, with a renewed sense of confidence, Gauff is set to compete in the Wuhan Open, the final WTA 1000 tournament of the season, starting Monday. With her eyes firmly set on the year-end finals, the American prodigy is proving that under Daly’s guidance, her game is only growing stronger.
