After the highs of the 2023 season where she won the US Open, nothing seems to be going the way of Coco Gauff. Amid a poor run of form, she ended her partnership with legendary coach, Brad Gilbert. Additionally, she failed to defend her US Open crown, losing in the pre-quarterfinals. What is surprising to note is that Coco Gauff has managed to win just a solitary singles title this year, which clearly doesn’t reflect the tremendous potential she boasts. As if things were going bad for her, it has been made worse with the announcement of the WTA China Open draw.

The American sensation will be seen in action at the China Open later this week. She is seeded fourth in the tournament and has been handed a nightmarish draw that will significantly affect her title chances. Handed a bye in the opening round, she will potentially face her compatriot Caroline Dolehide in the second round. However, her real test starts in the third round, with the likes of Katie Boulter and Taylor Townsend lurking.

Subsequently, Coco Gauff could potentially square off against Naomi Osaka in the fourth round, followed by the likes of Jelena Ostapenko and Anna Kalinskaya in the quarterfinals. Last year, she reached the semifinals here but the path looks tougher for her this time around.

While Iga Swiatek has given the tournament a miss, Aryna Sabalenka will lead the pack, with Jessica Pegula being the second seed. Gauff is in the second half of the draw and she’ll have to be at her absolute best if she is to succeed in the tournament. Ahead of her China Open campaign, Gauff received some precious advice from the former World Number 1, Maria Sharapova.

Maria Sharapova addresses changes in Coco Gauff’s team

Last week, Sharapova appeared in an exclusive interview with the US Weekly where she talked about changes in Gauff’s team. After Gauff lost in the last 16 of the US Open, her then coach, Brad Gilbert, took to social media to announce the split. However, Sharapova feels that these are a part and parcel of one’s career and she will come back stronger from this setback.

Sharapova revealed, “I think Coco has an amazing head on her shoulders and knows that there will be changes in her team throughout the years. What you need at a certain point in your career is not what you need later in your career. I was very fortunate with the teams that I had. I still remain very close to all of my coaches. They’re such big team members and they carry so much weight. A team is really important.”

While Brad Gilbert announced the end of his partnership with Gauff, he also predicted an illustrious career for her and wished her luck. Maybe that might be the inspiration that will propel Coco Gauff to new heights.