Coco Gauff has made it to the WTA China Open 2024 finals after defeating Paula Badosa in the semi-finals. Gauff became the youngest player after the victory to reach the finals since Caroline Wozniacki did in 2010. Gauff achieved this feat just at the age of 20 years and 6 months, while Wozniacki was 20 years and 3 months when she won the tournament in Beijing back then 2010.

Coco Gauff will now face Karolina Muchova from the Czech Republic in the final. This will be their first match this season, though they met twice in 2023. Gauff won both encounters with the last one being at the US Open semi-finals and the Cincinnati final. Muchova has yet to win a set against Coco Gauff and will aim to change that this time.

If Coco Gauff wins, she will become the first American since Serena Williams to capture the China Open title. Williams last won the trophy in 2013, having previously secured it in 2004. Gauff could be the second American to ever win in Beijing.

Muchova’s Path to the Finals

Karolina Muchova has also achieved significant milestones in her run to the finals. Ranked world No. 49, she is the lowest-ranked finalist in the tournament’s history. Muchova defeated two top 10 players on her way to the finals—Aryna Sabalenka in the quarter-finals and Qinwen Zhang in the semi-finals. If she wins against Coco Gauff, she will be the first player to defeat three top 10 players in a single edition of the China Open.

Coco Gauff Aiming for First Title Since January

Coco Gauff (China Open)

While Coco Gauff is selected to win, she has struggled with her form in recent months. However, her performance at the China Open 2024 has been strong and she’ll need to maintain that flow against Muchova. Gauff’s speed and endurance will test Muchova’s willpower on the court. Both players are ready to make a strong comeback and claim the title at the Diamond Court in Beijing.

This final will be Coco Gauff’s second of the year, her first being in Auckland in January, where she won the title. Muchova, on the other hand, has made steady progress after missing the first half of the season due to wrist surgery. Both players have shown great determination throughout the tournament and are expected to deliver an exciting final.

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World No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka secured her second consecutive US Open final by defeating Emma Navarro 6-2, 7-6 (2). Last year, Sabalenka was defeated by Coco Gauff in a thrilling three-set match in the final.

In her match against Navarro, Aryna Sabalenka dominated the first set, despite some resistance. She nearly sealed the second set, leading 4-2 and 40-15 on Navarro’s serve. However, Navarro fought back, preventing Sabalenka from closing out the match. Navarro then gained an early lead in the tie-break, going 2-0 up. But Sabalenka, showing her strong connection with New York, responded by winning seven consecutive points to claim the match.

With one more win standing between her and her first US Open title, here are the milestones Aryna Sabalenka has achieved by reaching the final:

1. Aryna Sabalenka Matches Serena Williams with Consecutive US Open Finals

Aryna Sabalenka has joined the ranks of Serena Williams by making back-to-back finals at the US Open. Williams achieved this in 2018 and 2019, but unfortunately lost both finals—first to Naomi Osaka and then to Bianca Andreescu. Sabalenka, having already lost in last year’s final, will be determined to avoid a repeat in her pursuit of victory in New York.

2. Fifth Player to Reach Australian Open and US Open Finals Since Hardcourt Switch

Aryna Sabalenka (US Open)

Since the Australian Open transitioned from grass to hardcourts in 1988, only five women have reached the finals of both hardcourt Grand Slams in consecutive years. Aryna Sabalenka joins an elite group of players, including Steffi Graf, Monica Seles, Martina Hingis, and Victoria Azarenka, who accomplished this feat.

Graf was the first to achieve this, making three consecutive finals from 1988 to 1990. Seles followed, doing it in 1991 and 1992. Hingis reached the finals of both events from 1997 to 1999, while Sabalenka’s compatriot Azarenka achieved this in 2012 and 2013.

3. Sabalenka Nears Azarenka’s Record for Hardcourt Grand Slam Finals

Aryna Sabalenka is quickly approaching Victoria Azarenka’s record for the most Grand Slam finals on hardcourts among active players. Azarenka has reached five hardcourt finals, winning the Australian Open twice and finishing runner-up in the US Open twice to Serena Williams.

Aryna Sabalenka, with four hardcourt Grand Slam finals now under her belt, is just one away from tying Azarenka’s record. Azarenka’s last Grand Slam final appearance was in the 2020 US Open, where she lost to Naomi Osaka.

4. 28 Consecutive Hardcourt Major Wins Against Lower-Ranked Players

A key factor behind Sabalenka’s success in hardcourt tournaments like the Australian Open and US Open has been her dominance over players ranked outside the top 10. Her victory over Navarro marked her 28th consecutive win in hardcourt Grand Slams against lower-ranked opponents.

Since the 2023 Australian Open, Aryna Sabalenka has amassed a 26-1 record at Hardcourt Majors. Her sole loss was to Coco Gauff, and 23 of her 26 victories came in straight sets. Aryna Sabalenka’s unbeaten streak is the longest since Azarenka’s 29-match run, which spanned from the 2012 Australian Open to the same tournament two years later.

5. Sabalenka’s Most Successful Summer Hardcourt Season Yet

For the first time, Sabalenka has reached two finals during the summer North American hardcourt season. Previously, her best performance had been reaching a single final in 2018, 2019, and 2023.

This year, Aryna Sabalenka broke that trend by winning the Cincinnati Open and continuing her winning streak to reach the US Open final. She is currently on an 11-match winning run. Regardless of the final’s outcome, this summer has been Sabalenka’s most successful hardcourt campaign. Before her Cincinnati triumph, she reached the semifinals of the Citi Open and the quarterfinals of the Canadian Open.

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Coco Gauff Sets New Milestone as Youngest WTA China Open Finalist Since 2010