Coco Gauff reminded all the doubters of her vast potential last week in Beijing, winning her eighth career title, and second at the WTA 1000 level, by defeating Karolina Muchova in straight sets.
For Gauff, the competitive juices just seem to guide her through these types of matches. She improved to 8-1 lifetime in finals and 7-0 in hard court finals with the win. The only player to ever defeat Gauff in a WTA final? Iga Swiatek, at Roland-Garros (no shame in that), in 2022.
She’s not quite sure to explain that type of success.
“Honestly, when you get that far, you’re just happy to be in the final,” she said with a smile.
Being relaxed means the world, the 20-year-old says.
“I think it’s just being relaxed. My first final, which was when I was 15, is kind of like the worst because you’re like, ‘I’m never going to get this opportunity again,’ which is completely not true. That is how I felt in my first Grand Slam final, as well,” she said, adding: “But it feels great. It’s a personal achievement. I think I’m realizing more and more each day that tennis is not a measure of my value as a person. I think the more you realize that, the more relaxed these tournaments become.
“I’m still going to experience pressure. It’s easier said than done. I’m sure at another tournament, I will be like, I felt so much pressure today. But it’s up and down.”
Being Mentioned with Serena is Priceless
More important than the hard court winning streak in finals, is the fact that Gauff became the first American to win in Beijing since icon Serena Williams won the title in 2013. That’s huge for a woman who grew up idolizing Serena.
“Honestly it means a lot when I saw that the last American woman to win this was Serena Williams,” she said. “Honestly, anytime my name is mentioned in whatever sentence hers is, it’s like a huge honor to do something no one has ever done before. It is pretty cool. I didn’t know that was on the line.”
Muchova Is One of the Most Talented Players on the WTA Tour
Though she improved to 3-0 against Muchova – a seemingly dominant head-to-head, Gauff was quick to admit that facing the crafty Czech can be a nightmare.
“I don’t think today was like her best tennis ever. So maybe I got lucky on that,” she said. “She’s a great player. I think she’s one of the most talented players we have on tour. It’s great to see her back healthy. I think everybody agrees, if you’re a tennis fan, I don’t get how you can dislike her because she’s a nice person. Just her game is so fun to watch.
“Honestly, I don’t like playing her. She said that in the speech, but I really don’t. You don’t know what she’s going to do. Sometimes I’m holding my breath when I play her.”
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