Coco Gauff claims Beijing — Quotes and more from the week in women’s tennis
By Joey Dillon
The IX: Tennis Tuesday with Joey Dillon, Oct. 8, 2024
Howdy, y’all, Happy Tennis Tuesday! We’re halfway through the China Double and like I alluded to a few weeks ago, I think we’re all feeling a bit of a lull. Honestly, I’m not sure what the fix is not only for the calendar, but for these two-week WTA 1000 events. We saw in May how Madrid and Rome basically seemed to drag on for dear life and tying in the time zone difference in China, I admit it was painfully difficult to stay immersed in the action semi-live.
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Still, there was some fantastic tennis played throughout the China Open — with the resurgence of Zhang Shuai my personal favorite. However, the talk of the weekend was Coco Gauff winning her second title of the season with a win over Karolina Muchova. Gauff was among the talk of the tournament before it started as she added Matt Daly, who focuses on grip changes, to her team.
It’s hard to say someone consistently playing Top 10 tennis is in a “slump,” but it’s safe to say the American was nowhere near her best this summer. Her losses to Emma Navarro at both Wimbledon and the U.S. Open might not be the worst on paper, but the double faults and unforced errors produced were setting some alarm bells.
Gauff saw the tournament more as practice than anything else and she was battle-tested throughout her two weeks, especially against Paula Badosa in the semifinals where she was nearly down a set and double break. The emotional downfall we saw at Wimbledon, Paris Olympics and U.S. Open seemed to be yesterday’s news and she relied more on her natural tendencies instead of forced aggression that was producing the staggering stats. She won her debut event with previous coach Brad Gilbert and now has with Daly, but Gauff’s focus remains on the future — specifically long-term.
The calendar now moves to Wuhan for the Dongfeng Voyah · Wuhan Open. It’s the first time since 2019 the tournament is being held and features 15 of the World’s Top 20 players. Jessica Pegula is among the players looking forward to returning to the event, even joking that some of the tour’s top players are so young, they’ve never been to the area before.
The projected quarterfinals are:
(1) Aryna Sabalenka vs. (6) Emma Navarro
(4) Coco Gauff vs. (8) Daria Kasatkina
(3) Jasmine Paolini vs. (5) Zheng Qinwen
(2) Jessica Pegula vs. (7) Barbora Krejcikova
Wuhan is the final WTA 1000 tournament of the season and there are a few players that can qualify for the WTA Finals Riyadh with a decent run. Among those best in position are Coco Gauff and Jasmine Paolini, who would likely only need to win two matches to earn their berths in the WTA’s crown jewel. Jessica Pegula will need a deep run and/or title win to qualify this week, too.
With only two players qualified in Iga Swiatek and Aryna Sabalenka, this tournament could get real interesting as things can really heat up these next two or three weeks. Until then, on to links!
Stat of the Week: Powered by Stathead Basketball
Breanna Stewart had 21 points, 5 assists, 7 steals, and 8 rebounds in the Liberty’s Game 2 win. She’s just the second player in WNBA history to have 20-5-5-5 in the Finals.
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This Week in Women’s Tennis
Three more doubles teams have qualified for the WTA Finals Riyadh, including China Open champions Sara Errani and Jasmine Paolini.
Ajla Tomljanovic captured the WTA 125 Prudential Hong Kong Tennis title with a win over Clara Tauson in the finals. In doubles, Monica Niculescu and Elena-Gabriela Ruse outlasted Nao Hibino and Makoto Ninomiya.
Iga Swiatek announced she and coach Tomasz Wiktorowski have split after a three-year partnership.
Longtime University of Florida head coach Roland Thornqvist is retiring effectively immediately, wrapping up an incredible career that spanned four national titles and over 500 wins.
Mirra Andreeva became the youngest teenager to crack the Top 20 since 2006, fulfilling a goal that also comes with a dog she’s always wanted.
Billie Jean King, who grew up near Pasadena, will be the Grand Marshal at the 136th Rose Parade, held on New Year’s Day.
Caroline Garcia, who is taking the rest of the season off to prioritize her mental health, has entered Harvard Business School’s Crossover to Business program to fill in her time.
Payton Stearns and Lulu Sun are carrying the torch for the University of Texas while Yuliia Starodubtseva is making strides for Old Dominion University.
Italian trailblazer Lea Pericoli has passed away at the age of 89.
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Tweet of the Week
Jelena Dokic’s documentary is due to come out at the end of the year and the trailer’s been released.
Five at The IX: China Open Week 2
Q. You’re now 8-1 in tournament finals. I’m curious how you manage to block out all the noise and remain focused in such a setting?
COCO GAUFF: Honestly, when you get that far, you’re just happy to be in the final. I don’t know (smiling).
Yeah, I think it’s just being relaxed. My first final, which is when I was 15, is kind of like the worst because you’re like, I’m never going to get this opportunity again, which is completely not true. That is how I felt in my first Grand Slam final, as well.
Yeah, I think the experience of winning in the past, I realize that, yes, winning is great. It feels great right now. But tomorrow I’m going to wake up and it’s a different day. 70% the world doesn’t know anything about whether I won or lost. Probably even more…
Yeah, that’s how I kind of treat the mindset honestly. But it feels great. It’s a personal achievement. I think I’m realizing more and more each day that tennis is not a measure of my value as a person. I think the more you realize that, the more relaxed these tournaments become.
I’m still going to experience pressure. It’s easier said than done. I’m sure at another tournament, I will be like, I felt so much pressure today. But it’s up and down.
Q. With Wuhan next week, then you’ll finish the season at the China tournaments, what is your goal kind of after all of that is done? Would you with singles play ITFs to try to get your ranking up or would you rely on qualifying, wild cards? Have you and your coach talked about that for next year?
ZHANG SHUAI: Yeah, so far we didn’t talking so much about the schedule after the Chinese season because my coach got the fever. He said, Oh, don’t talking to me. Even we can’t shake hand. He already back to the room.
I mean, I’m still waiting for the Ningbo, Guangzhou, if I can get the wild card, give me a chance to show my best tennis or not.
If not I will play some doubles. I will play with Yang Zhaoxuan. She’s also tough moment after one year. Asian Games last year, she got injury, big injury, for her knee. Try to helping her get more confident winning, the feeling.
Try to help more Chinese younger player to be back. I have maybe little bit more experience for this. Things last year, after six months off, when I back to the court, is really tough. Also doubles, we need someone to help. I try my best to do something for the young player.
After, yeah, let’s see. Maybe play some ITF tournament. But I have to make sure I can get in first. But right now ranking, yeah, little bit better than 600. I don’t think 600 I can get in any tournament. I don’t mind even I play start from quallies. I can get more points.
I’m really looking forward for the next year. I have some plan for the doubles. I play with Kiki. We try our best to first singles, try to back to the top 100, then try to win some Grand Slam or some big tournament.
Q. 15 wins in a row, three-time Grand Slam champion, US Open champion. What is it like to live your life? What is it like to be in your skin?
ARYNA SABALENKA: Well, I would say that it sounds so beautiful and, like, easy, the place where everyone want to be. But I made so many sacrifices throughout my career. Even like this year was a lot of difficult, really difficult moments for me.
I sacrificed a lot for these wins. I mean, that’s not easy to get to the point, like, where you’re able to win those big titles. It’s a lot of hard work, a lot of patient, a lot of mental work, physical work. It’s not that easy.
When you’re able to sacrifice a lot and you’re able to work hard and you’re able to get these wins, that’s the best feeling. You’re just living your best life. You’re excited to play your matches. You’re excited to face whatever fight you going to face.
All those difficult situations on court are not that difficult for you anymore. You actually happy to face it, you happy to challenge yourself. You’re actually enjoying all those battles.
Yeah, I’m grateful for the life I’m living right now. I really hope I’ll be able to just keep going, keep pushing myself, keep testing myself, keep fighting.
Yeah, we’ll see at the end of my career, we’ll see how far I was able to go.
Q. Obviously you defeated the No. 2, Aryna, on Friday, then No. 7 Zheng yesterday. You fought till the end against No. 6 today. Coming off the injury, what momentum does that give you going into the rest of the season?
KAROLINA MUCHOVA: Yeah, it’s really nice to be getting back there, yeah, gaining the confidence, the game, and as well the fitness. It’s nothing you can work on outside the court to get these real matches. I need I think as many matches as I can. It’s good for me for, as you mentioned, the rest of the season and for next season.
I’m just trying to play the ball, play every match I can. For sure it’s good to know that I can beat these players, top players. Yeah, it’s good.
Q. Obviously two 1000s, Olympic gold, Grand Slam final, quite the season for both of you in the doubles. Sara and Jasmine, what does winning this title mean?
SARA ERRANI: Yeah, like you say, is an incredible year. We won a lot. Of course, is a really important tournament. It’s amazing for us to win this tournament.
We hope to continue (smiling).
JASMINE PAOLINI: Yeah, it’s always special to win a tournament, especially 1000. We are really, really happy. We put so much effort this year to play doubles. So we are just happy. It’s nice to win a tournament.
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