Coco Gauff showcased her resilience once again by battling back from a set down to defeat Paula Badosa 4-6, 6-4, 6-2 in the China Open semifinals on Saturday. Gauff, ranked sixth, secured her spot in the final where she will face Karolina Muchova of the Czech Republic. The 20-year-old American is aiming for her second WTA-1000 level title as she continues to impress on the court.
In the other semifinal, Muchova overcame Olympic gold medalist Zheng Qinwen with a score of 6-3, 6-4 to set up the final showdown with Gauff. Gauff’s slow start in Beijing has become a pattern this week, but she managed to find her rhythm and turn the match around after being a set and a break down against Badosa.
Despite facing tough opponents throughout the tournament, Gauff remained focused and determined to come out on top. She mentioned adjusting mentally and bouncing back whenever she found herself trailing in the match. The 2023 U.S. Open champion fought hard against Badosa, ultimately winning in 2 hours and 20 minutes.
Over at the Shanghai Masters, Carlos Alcaraz and top-ranked Jannik Sinner continued their fine form with convincing victories in their opening matches. Alcaraz, fresh off his win against Sinner in the China Open final, secured his 10th consecutive win by defeating Shang Juncheng in straight sets. Sinner, dealing with a doping case, also had a comfortable win against Taro Daniel as he notched his 250th career victory.
The Italian player, who won the U.S. Open last month, expressed his satisfaction with his performance and noted the importance of being in good physical shape. Meanwhile, Alcaraz commended his opponent’s recent success and looked forward to the challenge that Wu Yibing would bring in the next round.
As the action unfolds in both the China Open and Shanghai Masters, tennis fans are eagerly anticipating the exciting matchups and potential upsets that could occur in the upcoming matches. Stay tuned for more thrilling tennis action from these prestigious tournaments.
