Coco Gauff prevailed in her opening match at the China Open, beating Clara Burel in straight sets on Friday to reach the third round. (More Tennis News)
China Open 2024: Coco Gauff Sees Off Clara Burel In The First Round On Return To Beijing
Playing in her first match since her US Open fourth-round exit, Gauff held off the French woman's challenge, winning 7-5 6-3 in 102 minutes
Playing in her first match since her US Open fourth-round exit, Gauff held off the French woman's challenge, winning 7-5 6-3 in 102 minutes.
The pair traded breaks early in the contest before Burel pulled in front and looked sure to take the first set.
Gauff pushed back though, saving a set point at 5-4 before eventually edging in front with her fourth break of the set.
It was slightly more straightforward in the second, with Gauff's patience eventually rewarded as a three-game winning streak at the end of the match sealed the victory, setting up a meeting with Katie Boulter in the next round.
Data Debrief: Hard court advantage
With this victory, Gauff has now won 46 matches at WTA-1000 hard-court events, equalling Caroline Wozniacki for the most such wins before turning 21 since the format was introduced in 2009 (46).
It also marks Gauff's 30th straight win over a player ranked outside the top 50, with her last such defeat coming 15 months ago in the first round of Wimbledon 2023 against Sofia Kenin.
Show comments