Coco Gauff has sent a heartfelt message to Karolina Muchova after the former beat the latter in the China Open final.
Gauff was expecting a tough match against Muchova, but it was ultimately a relatively straightforward win for the American.
She beat the Czech star 6-1, 6-3 in the China Open final, and extended her head-to-head record against Muchova to 3-0.
Remarkably, Gauff has won all six sets faced against Muchova, while she now boasts an 8-1 record in finals.
Gauff is trying to control her mindset under new coach Matt Daly, having recently parted ways with Brad Gilbert.
Coco Gauff praises ‘incredible’ season from Karolina Muchova
And she needed just over one hour to overcome her final opponent, having picked up impressive wins against the likes of Naomi Osaka and Paula Badosa in earlier rounds.
Gauff is certain to celebrate the hard-fought success in Beijing, but she was quick to congratulate Muchova on reaching the final after the match.
“I want to say congratulations to you Karolina,” said Gauff. “It’s great to see you back on tour. You’re such an amazing player. You deserve everything.
“Hopefully we play many more finals. I don’t want to say I hope some go your way, but maybe against someone else they’ll go your way.
“It’s incredible to see how you’re able to manage your season after so many injuries. Hopefully you stay healthy this year and for the rest of your career.”
Karolina Muchova ultimately falls short against Coco Gauff
Muchova perhaps wasn’t at her best in the China Open final, but she can hold her head extremely high after a fantastic tournament.
The Czech ace was up against it from the very start in her meeting with Gauff, which took place in a sell-out 15,000 crowd.
Her American opponent is formidable on hard courts, having clinched her one and only Grand Slam to date at the 2023 US Open.
READ MORE: Coco Gauff breaks Open Era record after beating Karolina Muchova in the China Open final
But it was Muchova who enjoyed a much better run at the major tournament this time around, having made it all the way to the semi-finals.
Gauff’s compatriot Jessica Pegula brought that run to an end this time last month, as Gauff failed in her attempt to successfully defend her title.
Receive exclusive tennis news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
