Coco Gauff pulled off a masterclass in the Beijing final against Karolina Muchova to clinch her second WTA 1000 title.
Coco Gauff was eager to remind the tennis world that she’d not completely faded after a disconcerting summer slide in results and form.
The bubbly 20-year-old has been searching for the clinically ruthless streak that the top WTA stars are often able to smoothly build – however recently she’s been well out of luck.
After storming to the first set, a feat in direct contrast to her sluggish starts in the previous two rounds, Gauff suffered an early break in the second.
Undefeated to crafty opponent Karolina Muchova prior to the Beijing final, Gauff didn’t hang around to make it a one-set shootout, promptly turning the tide and going up 4-2.
A disciplined end to proceedings saw the American clinch her eighth career WTA title in a dazzling 76 minutes of boisterous shot-making.
Coco Gauff admits she has a totally different perspective now
It became a real turn up for the books – Muchova, who’d arguably earned the title more than Gauff after her win over Aryna Sabalenka, couldn’t manage to get over the line.
In fairness, that was directly because of Gauff’s bullish, clever, and powerful hitting – the very game style that also saw her past the powerful Belarusian in last year’s US Open final.
With such early success, it’s always easy to forget Gauff’s age, more so when you hear her digest her performance.
Gauff has now won each of her first seven WTA Tour hard-court finals and has done with gusto and swagger.
“Honestly, when you get that far, you’re just happy to be in the final,” Gauff explained to the WTA. “I think it’s just being relaxed. My first final, which is 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.
“I think the experience of winning in the past, I realize that, yes, winning is great. It feels great right now. But tomorrow I’m going to wake up and it’s a different day. Seventy percent of the world doesn’t know anything about whether I won or lost, probably even more.”
Coco Gauff proved a point with her Beijing win
Whether she thought needed to or not, Gauff has left little to criticise with a stupendous dart across the finish line.
The cynics might still ardently accuse the 20-year-old of still having yet shaken the serving yips.
We all might point at the forehand and reasonably remark over its fragility. However, what Gauff has managed to do is put the probing gazes on hold and give herself some much needed breathing room.
Gauff defended new coach Matt Daly and seemingly the gamble of splitting with Brad Gilbert has paid immediate dividends.
Criticism must heed, at least for now, with Gauff triumphantly able to hold up her enormous trophy and respond ‘What are you talking about?’
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