Coco Gauff China Open final/ Alcaraz Shanghai Masters win/ Sinner 250th career win/ WTA China Open 2024/ ATP Shanghai Masters 2024/ Newslooks/ BEIJING/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ Coco Gauff rallied from a set down to defeat Paula Badosa 4-6, 6-4, 6-2, securing her place in the China Open final. Gauff will face either Karolina Muchova or Zheng Qinwen in the final. Meanwhile, Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner both cruised to straight-set victories in their opening matches at the Shanghai Masters, with Alcaraz defeating Shang Juncheng and Sinner overcoming Taro Daniel.
Gauff Reaches China Open Final as Sinner and Alcaraz Advance in Shanghai Quick Looks
- Gauff’s comeback: Coco Gauff came back from a set down for the third consecutive match to defeat Paula Badosa and reach the China Open final.
- Next opponent: Gauff will face either Karolina Muchova or Zheng Qinwen for the title.
- Alcaraz dominance: Carlos Alcaraz advanced to the third round of the Shanghai Masters with a 6-2, 6-2 win over Shang Juncheng.
- Sinner’s milestone: Jannik Sinner secured his 250th career win, defeating Taro Daniel 6-1, 6-4 in Shanghai.
Coco Gauff Reached China Open Final, Alcaraz & Sinner Win in Shanghai
Deep Look
Coco Gauff’s resilience continued to shine as she once again rallied from a set down, defeating Spain’s Paula Badosa 4-6, 6-4, 6-2 to advance to the China Open final. Gauff, who has made a habit of slow starts throughout the tournament, clawed her way back for the third consecutive match, extending her impressive season.
The American, ranked sixth in the world, found herself trailing early after losing a closely contested first set. Badosa saved 10 of 11 break points to take the opener in 59 minutes. In the second set, Badosa appeared poised to close out the match, building a 3-1 lead, but Gauff rallied, saving four break points and breaking back to level at 4-4. She then held serve and broke Badosa again to force a deciding set.
Gauff dominated the third set, breaking Badosa three more times to win the match in 2 hours and 20 minutes. Afterward, Gauff reflected on her perseverance. “I felt like I was playing the right way the whole time, just a couple of unforced errors, and she was playing well too,” Gauff said in her post-match interview. “Mentally, I just tried to reset and bounce back.”
This win sets Gauff up for a final showdown on Sunday, where she will face either Olympic gold medalist Zheng Qinwen or Karolina Muchova. A victory would give Gauff her second WTA-1000 title and further solidify her status as one of the sport’s rising stars. Gauff’s record in finals currently stands at 7-1.
Alcaraz and Sinner Advance in Shanghai
While Gauff was fighting her way into the China Open final, over in Shanghai, top-ranked Jannik Sinner and second-ranked Carlos Alcaraz were putting on impressive displays of their own in the Shanghai Masters.
Alcaraz, fresh off his victory over Sinner in the China Open final earlier this week, wasted no time in dispatching 19-year-old Shang Juncheng of China. The Spaniard won the first nine points of the match and dominated throughout, winning 6-2, 6-2 to record his 10th consecutive victory. Alcaraz converted four of seven break points and set up a third-round meeting with Wu Yibing of China.
“I’m not used to playing against players younger than me,” Alcaraz joked after the match. “He’s been playing good tennis lately, lifting his first ATP title in Chengdu, so I’m pretty sure he’s going to climb the rankings. I’m just happy to be able to win these kinds of matches.”
Meanwhile, Sinner notched his 250th career win in a 6-1, 6-4 victory over Japan’s Taro Daniel. The Italian, who won the U.S. Open last month, was in complete control, firing 12 aces and hitting 38 winners. Sinner expressed confidence in his post-match interview, saying, “I felt quite comfortable today. I’m in good shape physically, which is very important. I will try to improve for tomorrow’s performance, but today I was serving really well, especially in important moments, and moving well.”
Sinner’s next challenge will come against Argentina’s Tomas Martin Etcheverry in the third round.
Surprise Upsets and Upcoming Matches
While the top players cruised through their opening matches, the Shanghai Masters also saw some upsets. No. 65-ranked Jakub Mensik stunned sixth-ranked Andrey Rublev, breaking the Russian seven times en route to a 6-7 (7), 6-4, 6-3 victory. Japan’s Yosuke Watanuki also pulled off a surprise, defeating No. 35-ranked Brendan Nakashima 7-6 (4), 6-3.
Later in the day, third-ranked Alexander Zverev faced Italian qualifier Mattia Bellucci, while fourth-ranked Novak Djokovic took on American Alex Michelsen.
As the tournament progresses, all eyes will be on the rising stars of tennis and whether they can maintain their dominance on the international stage.
