Coco Gauff has arrived in China to compete for her second title at the WTA 1000 in Beijing. Last year, she aimed to defend her title but was stopped by Amanda Anisimova. This year, Gauff is looking to bounce back after her semifinal loss at the US Open against the newly crowned world number one, Elena Rybakina. Rybakina enters the tournament fresh from winning the US Open, marking her second Grand Slam victory of the year after the Australian Open. This result reinforces the trend of different champions taking Grand Slam titles in recent years. Since Naomi Osaka won the US Open in 2020 and the Australian Open in 2021, no player has captured two consecutive majors.
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Gauff discussed this trend during her media day, expressing that it does not surprise her. She aims to motivate herself for the end of the season, which features no Grand Slam events, and she arrives in Beijing without expectations. Gauff praised Rybakina's current form, while sharing her enthusiasm for returning to the tournament. "I am very excited to be back here. Honestly, I have no expectations this week. I don’t know why I always play well in this tournament, but I always come here without expecting anything. Maybe that’s why I’ve done so well. But I am very happy to be back here," Gauff said.
Gauff is also focused on improving her game as she looks ahead to future competitions. She intends to take more risks with her shots and enhance her first serve percentage, stating that her performance improves significantly when her first serve is effective. Despite the end of the Grand Slam season lifting some pressure, Gauff views the upcoming tournaments as preparation for the next year. "Being in China also helps a lot. I get a lot of support here. They give me many gifts. I think that makes everything a bit lighter. The key is that the Grand Slams are over, and now there is much less chaos," she explained.
In terms of her draw at Beijing, Gauff has a bye in the first round and will face either Tararudee or Osorio in the second round. Looking ahead, she has potential matchups against strong competitors, including Rybakina in the semifinals. Gauff also addressed the notion of social media's impact on tennis performance, stating, "There is no correlation. It’s funny. A typical training day for me at home is about five hours: two and a half hours on the court in the morning, an hour and a half in the afternoon, and another hour and a half in the gym."
Gauff acknowledged that women's tennis has become increasingly unpredictable in recent years, but she feels these developments are not surprising to players. "Women’s tennis has been a bit unpredictable in recent years. I wouldn’t say surprising, but it can seem that way to fans. In men’s tennis, there’s much more consistency, so for some people, what we have might seem more unexpected. But among the players, it’s not a surprise," she stated. Gauff concluded by expressing confidence in Rybakina's potential to continue winning titles and hopes for a different outcome in their next match-up.