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Coco Gauff Sends Clear Message After China Open Opponent Speaks Out After Defeat

Originally posted on EssentiallySports | By Sayantan Roy | Last updated Oct 3, 2025 12:51 AM ET

Coco Gauff’s China Open run had fans on the edge of their seats. It took her three sets to seal the deal in the previous two rounds. But against the 23-year-old German, Eva Lys, Gauff managed to quickly wrap up the match by a 6-3,6-4 margin. But guess what? It wasn’t just her performance that made headlines. After defeating Lys in an epic QF clash, the young American found herself in a brief but telling exchange that perfectly captured her poise and professionalism. The beautiful exchange between the two players on social media was an example of true sportsmanship and mutual respect…

Lys entered this match following three consecutive hard-fought victories in the previous three rounds. In fact, the German had also defeated the former world number 3, Elena Rybakina, in the R32 by 6-3,1-6,6-4. But when it comes to facing the current world number 3, in the QF, she said, “I mean, this is the reason I play tennis. I am happy to have the best opponents, and I am happy to see where I am against them. I am really excited for the match. I am excited I finally made it to the Center Court, so I really like this court, but the Center will be a nice experience.”

This was her first meeting with Coco Gauff, and she did everything she could to topple the two-time Grand Slam champion. The tone of the match was set up quite nicely as we witnessed a 16-stroke lung-buster during the first point. Eva Lys made her aggressive intentions pretty clear right from the word go in this epic battle, but she was denied by a terrific lob and forehand putaway by the American. Currently, ranked 66th in the world, Lys forced Gauff into committing errors with her relentless pace and swift exchanges. However, the German finished the match with 48 unforced errors, while it was just 29 for Gauff. Following the end of her dream run at this WTA 1000 in Beijing, Lys shared a post on her IG stories with the caption, “Such a pleasure to be sharing the court with @cocogauff.” In reply, Gauff also shared a similar story with the caption, “likewise

.”

The exchange, brief as it was, captured the essence of elite tennis. For fans, the moment was a reminder that Gauff isn’t just a force on the court; she also knows how to handle the spotlight with grace. As the China Open continues, her performance and demeanor suggest that she’s not only a contender in the draw but also a player who commands respect wherever she goes. Whether it’s through her relentless play or her composed responses off the court, Coco Gauff continues to prove why she’s one of the brightest stars in women’s tennis today.

With this win against Eva Lys, Coco Gauff has now also become the third youngest player to reach 11 semi-finals in Tier 1/WTA 1000 since the format’s introduction in 2009. Incredible stuff from the American youngster! What did she say about this QF match, though?

Coco Gauff shares her honest take on the match against Eva Lys

Coco Gauff has now reached the China Open semifinals for the third straight year. She won the title last year by defeating Karolina Muchova in straight sets (6-1,6-3). Now, she’s inches away from defending her title in this tournament. Gauff now owns a 14-1 career record in Beijing, and if we take a look back, she had previously managed to defend her title in Auckland in 2023-24. So, this has always been her happy hunting ground, but can she really defend her title here this time? Time will tell!

After this QF match, Gauff said, “I’m happy with how I played. She’s a tough opponent, and she hit some incredible shots on the run, but I tried my best to play aggressively and good tennis. I think staying confident in my game [was important]. Not being too passive when I had the lead, I played one passive point in the last game, but after that, I played good tennis.”

Next up for her will be the world number 4, Amanda Anisimova. Coco Gauff has a 1-1 record against her compatriot, but Anisimova has been in red-hot form this year, reaching two Grand Slam finals. She also won a title in Doha this year. Interestingly, both these Americans have now secured their spots in the WTA Finals, so there are already quite a few things to celebrate in American women’s tennis.

This article first appeared on EssentiallySports and was syndicated with permission.

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