Coco Gauff finally returns to a circuit final, nine months after her victory in Auckland in January. The American, who beat Paula Badosa in three sets (4-6, 6-4, 6-2) on Saturday in Beijing, will face the Czech Karolina Muchova, 49th, in the final. The winner of the 2023 US Open is aiming for an eighth title on the circuit, at only 20 years old. In September, she parted ways with her trainer after a series of poor results.
Against the 26-year-old Spaniard, former world No.2 who had fallen to 19th place, Coco Gauff alternated between very good moments and very bad ones (notably 11 double faults) and ended up winning mentally. At 6-4, 3-1, Badosa seemed to be heading towards a victory in two sets. But Gauff then saved four break points to stay in contact.
Relaunched in this second set, the American then recovered at 4-4 to finally equalize at one set all. “I tried to stay focused, it was difficult but mentally I had to start from scratch.” Gauff said to explain this reversal. In the third set, she did not avoid some scares, in particular by offering her service when she could lead 3-0, allowing the Spaniard to believe in a comeback. But Badosa did not take advantage of the opportunity, losing his serve in the process.
Coco Gauff then no longer trembled and won in 2h20 following a new direct error from the Spaniard. In the final on Sunday, the American will try to win the 8th title of her career, the second of the season after Auckland.
Another nice shot from Muchova
Muchova, after defeating world No.2 Aryna Sabalenka in the quarter, defeated another Top 10 resident on Saturday, the Chinese Qinwen Zheng, in two authoritarian sets 6-3, 6-4. Quickly broken in the first set, the Chinese No.1, who requested a medical timeout to treat her right hand after a fall at the start of the match, offered herself a break point at 5-3 on two winning shots from high level (a backhand volley, a powerful uncrossed forehand).
But Muchova relied on her excellent serve, releasing two aces from her racket before completing the first set in 53 minutes. In the second set, Muchova remained solid and focused to break and lead 3-1, helped by the poor services of Zheng, who lacked rigor with uncontrolled risk-taking (31 unforced errors against 10 for her opponent).
Zheng, regaining her combativeness, dismissed the first two match points to return to 4-5 but it was not enough and the Czech finally won on her third final point (the first on her serve), after 1 hour 47 of play.
