Coco Gauff Voices Appreciation Following Historic China Open Win

The athlete just became the first American to win the title since Serena Williams in 2013.

Coco Gauff / Lintao Zhang/Getty Images

Coco Gauff is closing out her 2024 tennis season the way she started it: with a win. With only a handful of tournaments remaining in the WTA schedule, the young star is on her way to a well-deserved off-season. But first, she made sure to secure her eighth career singles title (and, having won the ASB Classic in January, her second of the season) at the China Open.

On Sunday, Oct. 6, Gauff defeated Czech tennis player Karolína Muchová in straight sets (6-1, 6-3) to take home the title. It was a momentous victory for the young player, who broke onto the scene a few years ago and has been steadily rising through the rankings ever since. Not only was it her eighth title (and a seventh straight hard-court finals win), but it was a historic victory, too. With the win, Gauff became the first American to take home the title in Beijing since Serena Williams in 2013.

It wasn’t the first time that the athlete’s success has mirrored that of the great former tennis player. When Gauff won the 2023 U.S. Open, she became the first American teenager to do so since Williams in 1999. In other words, following in her idol’s footsteps isn’t exactly novel for the 20-year-old. Undoubtedly, the similarities are bound to continue as Gauff proceeds through her career.

Coco Gauff / Robert Prange/Getty Images

But, for now, she’s basking in the glory of another impressive win. And, after a tough fourth-round loss at the 2024 U.S. Open, she’s more than satisfied with the result, too. “I‘m happy with the fight I showed during the past two weeks here in Beijing and very grateful to walk away with the @chinaopen title,” Gauff wrote in an Instagram post following the victory. “Thank you for all of the love and support!”

According to WTA Insider, Gauff is approaching this end-of-season stretch with a “relaxed” mentality. And by the looks of it, it’s paying off. The win was a positive for both her career legacy and her mindset. “I think the result is now reassurance that I am in the right direction,” she told the outlet.

Though certainly deserving of a break, Gauff isn’t taking her foot off the pedal—at least, not yet. The athlete is already onto the next tournament, the Wuhan Open. With a first-round bye, she is scheduled to kick off her bid for another trophy in the Round of 32 early this week.