In Pictures: Coco Gauff & mother Candi spend valuable bonding time exploring the Great Wall of China together before China Open 2024
Coco Gauff visited The Great Wall of China with her mother Candi as the American tennis star is in Beijing ahead of the 2024 China Open. She reached the semifinal of the WTA 1000 event last year, losing to the eventual champion Iga Swiatek.
The main draw of the China Open is scheduled to begin on Wednesday, September 25. Gauff, who arrived in China a few days ago, practiced yesterday. Interestingly, she even signed a laptop for a fan after asking them if they were sure they wanted her to do it.
On Tuesday, Gauff took a break to visit one of the Seven Wonders of the World, the Great Wall of China. The historic monument stretches over 10,000 miles, with construction starting nearly 3,000 years ago.
Gauff shared special moments from the visit on her Instagram Story. Gauff was pictured alongside her mother Candi, who also posted several Stories capturing their time at the iconic landmark.
Coco Gauff will commence China Open 2024 campaign against Clara Burel or Caroline Dolehide
Coco Gauff has dropped out of the WTA Top 5 after an underwhelming North American hardcourt swing. She faced a second-round exit in the Cincinnati Open and a fourth-round exit at the US Open, two events where she was the defending champion.
She lost out on crucial points which pushed her into the sixth spot after spending the majority of the year in the Top 3. Moreover, Gauff also parted ways with her coach Brad Gilbert. She earned the biggest successes of her career with the coach who had trained Andre Agassi in the past. However, the American believed it was time to move on.
Gauff will now participate in the China Open where she will receive a bye in the first round. In the second round, she will take on the winner of the match between Clara Burel and Caroline Dolehide.
Gauff is expected to advance against either competitor as she historically holds an upper hand against them. She leads the head-to-head 1-0 and 3-0 against Burel and Dolehide respectively.
Notably, Gauff is also looking to cement her qualification for the WTA Finals. She is currently sixth in the WTA Race to Riyadh with 3968 points. Behind her in the qualification spots are compatriots Emma Navarro (3568) and Danielle Collins (3178).