“I’m happy to be in the final” – Coco Gauff has the chance to win a title after almost a gap of 275 das! However, she has to beat the ‘Giant-Killer’ Karolina Muchova (CZE) in the final of the China Open to cherish that moment. Is she ready for her next challenge? While she prepares herself, Muchova looks quite optimistic: “I‘ll just try to play my best and challenge her and hope for the best result tomorrow.” Will she manage to seal the deal this time or will yet again fall short of clinching the title?

Coco Gauff vs Karolina Muchova: Preview

Coco Gauff started her season with a title triumph at the ASB Classic. After that, the 20-year-old American made quite a few long runs into the tournaments, but she failed to deliver when it mattered the most. She had a horrible North American hardcourt swing, but now she’s keen to get back to winning tracks in Asia. She has already faced the likes of Katie Boulter and Naomi Osaka in the previous rounds. In the SF match, Gauff defeated Paula Badosa by 4-6,6-4,6-2. 

Karolina Muchova’s best result in this season came at the Palermo Ladies Open, where she reached the Final. She even made it to the SF at the 2024 US Open. In NY, she was defeated by another American, Jessica Pegula by 6-1,4-6,2-6. Muchova has looked quite impressive in this tournament. She defeated Aryna Sabalenka in the QF and then Qinwen Zheng in the SF. So far, she has lost only one set in this tournament. Has Muchova ever faced Gauff in her career, though?

Gauff vs Muchova: Head-to-Head

Karolina Muchova has faced Coco Gauff twice in her career so far. Are we heading for a similar result in the finals of the 2024 China Open?

• 2023 Cincinnati Masters Final: Gauff 6-3,6-4.
• 2023 US Open SF: Gauff 6-4,7-5.

Prediction: Gauff will win in three sets

Although Karolina Muchova has looked more impressive in the last few months, Coco Gauff has a superior record in the H2H. Even in the rankings, Gauff (6) is currently way ahead of Muchova (49). Apart from all these, Gauff has a win-loss record of 46-15 in this season, whereas Muchova has a win-loss record of 18-5. Well, considering all these factors, the American looks ahead in this epic contest. However, what about the other factors such as surface, players’ weaknesses, etc?

In Beijing, the playing conditions are pretty much slow. This has in fact made it more challenging for the players to win free points on their serves. Talking about serves, Coco Gauff has struggled a lot with her precision in this season. She has hit 186 aces this season and committed 315 double faults. Even in the last match, she committed 11 double faults against Badosa! 

Now if we take a closer look at their playing styles, Coco Gauff describes her playing style as aggressive. However, time and again, she has been spotted taking up a defensive approach in her matches. When she’s in-form, her serve and backhands can be a real threat! Her incredible athleticism and swift court coverage can put any opponent under some real pressure at any given point. Coco Gauff can also confuse her opponents by mixing up her shots and Muchova needs to keep an eye on this right from the start. If she allows even a half chance, Gauff is surely going to convert that point in her favor.

Karolina Muchova is an aggressive all-court player. She possesses an intelligent game and can also bring up a lot of variations during her matches. Muchova has powerful groundstrokes in her armory. She can use both her forehand and backhand to hit winners from any position on the court. Apart from that, she can also incorporate softer shots, like drop shots, lobs, and sliced backhands to disrupt the rhythm of her opponents. The 28-year-old Czech can generate some real venom behind her serves and she’s also proficient at defending her second serve. Her footwork, speed, and anticipation are truly very much extraordinary! 

Both these players have the potential to earn points in their favor during long rallies. However, Coco Gauff has a clear advantage on the backhand side, while Muchova’s forehand is on the superior side. So, this is going to be a real blockbuster showdown! We expect this match to go deep, and Coco Gauff is most likely to win this contest in three sets!