Coco Gauff will begin her Asian swing at this week’s China Open in Beijing, which will commence on September 25. It is the penultimate WTA 1000 tournament of the season.
The American’s results have taken a hit in recent weeks. Her title defense at the Cincinnati Open ended in the second round. She couldn’t defend her US Open title and lost to Emma Navarro in the fourth round.Gauff arrived at last year’s China Open on a 12-match winning streak and advanced to the semifinals. She finds herself in a polar opposite situation now, with her form and confidence being shaky. She has received a first-round bye, and here’s how her China Open draw could pan out after that:
Coco Gauff’s R2 opponent – Clara Burel / Caroline Dolehide
Coco Gauff could start her campaign against either compatriot Caroline Dolehide, or Clara Burel. The latter almost knocked her out in the second round of the Indian Wells Open earlier this year. However, the American overcame a 5-2 deficit in the third set to avoid a huge upset.Gauff has won all three matches against Dolehide in straight sets. She’ll prefer to start against her fellow American given her record against her.
Possible R3 opponent – Katie Boulter / Taylor Townsend
Coco Gauff could encounter her first seeded player at the China Open in 26th seed Katie Boulter. The Brit has a 16-8 record on hardcourts, though she has tallied only three wins on the surface since the tour resumed competing on it in late July.
Boulter and Gauff have split their matches 1-1, with the latter winning their most recent duel at last year’s Canadian Open for the loss of four games. However, dealing with Taylor Townsend at this stage could be a lot trickier for the 20-year-old.Townsend’s singles career is on the rise this year, and she’s quite capable of taking out a higher-ranked player or two when she’s in form. Gauff will need to be on guard against her.
Possible R4 opponent – Marta Kostyuk / Naomi Osaka
Marta Kostyuk is Coco Gauff’s projected opponent in the fourth round. All three of their matches have gone to three sets. The American tallied both of her wins on hardcourts, while the Ukrainian came out on top on clay.Naomi Osaka, a former China Open champion, could also cross paths with Gauff at this stage. The two have been on collision course in quite a few tournaments this year but a match between them is yet to materialize. The four-time Major champion has tasted considerable success in Asia and will aim to rebound after a disappointing US Open series.
Possible QF opponent – Jelena Ostapenko / Anna Kalinskaya
Jelena Ostapenko claimed her maiden Major title in doubles at the US Open alongside Lyudmyla Kichenok. However, she’s on a four-match losing streak in singles. Given her inconsistent form, she could catch fire in Beijing to make it this far to trouble Coco Gauff.
Anna Kalinskaya, who reached the WTA 1000 final in Dubai earlier this year, is another potential foe for Gauff in this round. Katerina Siniakova and Leylah Fernandez are other players to look out for in this section.
Possible SF opponent – Jessica Pegula / Emma Navarro
Two of Coco Gauff’s biggest adversaries could await her in the semifinals of the China Open. Jessica Pegula has been one of the most in-form players on the tour lately. She won the Canadian Open and was the runner-up at the Cincinnati Open and the US Open. She also leads her younger rival 4-1 in the head-to-head.
Gauff crossed paths with Emma Navarro in Auckland this year beating her in straight sets in the semifinals. The latter has since turned the tables on the former in remarkable fashion.Navarro ousted Gauff in the fourth round of Wimbledon, and did the same again at the US Open, ending her title defense as well. The latter will hesitate to bump into her for the third time in three months.
Possible Final opponent – Aryna Sabalenka
Aryna Sabalenka, the hottest player on the tour right now, is likely to stand between Coco Gauff and the winner’s trophy in the final. The Belarusian won the Cincinnati Open and captured her second Major title of the season at the US Open.
Having lost to Gauff in New York a year ago, Sabalenka redeemed herself with a composed performance in the final against Jessica Pegula this time. The American leads their head-to-head 4-3, though she lost their most recent duel at this year’s Australian Open in straight sets.Sabalenka hasn’t made it past the quarterfinals of the China Open in her career. Should she make an early exit once again, then Zheng Qinwen, Madison Keys, Barbora Krejcikova, and Jasmine Paolini are some of the other players Gauff could encounter in the final.
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