In her first tournament since teaming up with her new coach Matt Daly, Coco Gauff has already achieved success by winning her second WTA title of 2024 at the China Open. The 20-year-old American, who is ranked world No. 6, claimed a convincing 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 impressive performance against the Czech player, currently ranked No. 49, showcased her top form. The young star dominated the first set within just 30 minutes, putting pressure on Muchova with numerous unforced errors and securing two breaks of serve.
Muchova, a former world No. 8 who faced a wrist injury at the 2023 US Open, had a notable tournament by defeating top seed Aryna Sabalenka and home favorite Zheng Qinwen. However, she couldn’t match Gauff’s intensity, power, and athleticism. Despite briefly leading 2-0 in the second set after Gauff’s double faults, Muchova couldn’t maintain her momentum. Gauff then went on to win four consecutive games, with Muchova’s 24th unforced error sealing her defeat.
After the match, Gauff praised Muchova and credited her new coach, Daly, for the positive changes in her game. Following a split with former coach Brad Gilbert, Gauff expressed satisfaction with her current partnership with Daly. The win at the China Open added to Gauff’s perfect record in hard-court finals, making her 7-0 in such matches—a remarkable achievement in the Open Era.
Gauff faced challenges during the tournament but overcame them to secure the title, now preparing for the Wuhan Open, the final WTA 1000 tournament of the season. With Daly guiding her, Gauff is demonstrating continuous improvement and a strong presence on the court.
