Coco Gauff Brushes Off Nerves, Delivers Bagel In Beijing Opener

Coco Gauff is back in Beijing, and if her opening match is any indication, she means business. After a shaky start that would have rattled a lesser player, the reigning champ flicked a switch, found her groove, and steamrolled Kamilla Rakhimova 6-4, 6-0 to march into the third round of the China Open.

It wasn’t all smooth sailing, though. Let’s be real, the opening service game was a nail-biter. Gauff looked a little tight, maybe feeling the pressure of defending 1,000 ranking points. She coughed up a couple of double faults and stared down four break points. You could almost hear a collective gasp from the crowd. But this is Coco Gauff we’re talking about. She dug in, saved them all, and let out a silent “not today.”

Gauff Finds Her Footing and Floors It

That early scare seemed to be the only invitation Rakhimova would get. After trading blows to 3-3 in the first set, Gauff decided she’d seen enough. She cranked up the heat, breaking Rakhimova with a scorching backhand down the line that probably left a smoke trail. Even after facing another 0-40 deficit while serving for the set, Gauff showed the composure of a seasoned vet, saving a whopping eight break points in the set to close it out.

From there, it was a whole different ballgame. The second set was less of a tennis match and more of a demolition derby. Gauff went into beast mode, crushing every ball and running Rakhimova ragged. Before you could even grab another bite of your popcorn, it was over. A bagel. 6-0. Gauff sealed the deal with a blistering ace, just for good measure. It was a statement win, a “welcome back to my house” kind of performance.

After the match, Gauff was all smiles. “I’m super happy to be back here in Beijing,” she said. “Obviously, I had great memories last year, and I’m hoping to make some more.” Her immediate plans? “I want to go shopping,” she said. A well-deserved treat after a dominant start.

Next up, she faces a familiar foe in Leylah Fernandez, who also dished out a bagel in her own impressive win. Get your popcorn ready for that one, folks. It is going to be a blockbuster.