Karolina Muchova Defeats Zheng Qinwen to Set Up China Open 2024 Final Against Coco Gauff
Karolina Muchova is having another great tournament at the 2024 China Open. She defeated Zheng Qinwen 6-3, 6-4 with a strong serving performance to guarantee her a berth in the championship match against American wonder Coco Gauff.
In the championship match, the 28-year-old Czech, who is renowned for her all-court adaptability and tenacity, will have the chance to win her second WTA title and break a five-year drought.
When the incredibly gifted all-court player takes on Coco Gauff for the China Open title on Sunday, she will find out. The player has survived numerous injury setbacks in her career.
With a stunning serving performance in Beijing on Saturday night, Muchova upset Olympic gold medallist Zheng Qinwen, 6-3, 6-4, to shatter local hopes for a Chinese champion. With this win, the 28-year-old can finally snap his title drought of more than five years.
Muchova had five holds to start the match, but in the sixth game, she lined up two break points with a powerful backhand winner up the line. When Zheng stumbled on her left foot on the baseline during the next point, an unsettling scene occurred.
The 21-year-old took a time to compose herself after the unpleasant spill, receiving treatment on her fingers and right wrist before continuing. With an unreturnable serve out wide, the 2023 French Open finalist would eliminate Zheng’s one and only opportunity to rally in the set at 5-3, 30-40.
The fifth seed fought back, saving two match points along the way, but ultimately was unable to make enough of an impact on return, as Zheng’s two unforced errors and double fault gave her opponent the break at 1-1 in the second set. After an official one hour and forty-seven minute match, Muchova officially exacted revenge on Zheng for her Palermo final loss.
The 49-year-old world number one is going to her second WTA 1000 championship match. After Gauff’s victory in their Cincinnati title match in 2023, Muchova lost to the Czech in her first of two consecutive US Open semifinal appearances.
The Olomouc native would complete her tournament by eliminating three of the Top 5 seeds with a victory over Gauff. Muchova stopped world No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka‘s 15-match winning streak in the quarterfinals.
