Coco Gauff faced a defeat against Elise Mertens in the China Open quarterfinals, marking her first loss in six encounters against Mertens. This match followed a controversial incident in a previous round where Gauff stopped play due to flickering advertising boards, leading to a replayed point. Gauff later addressed the racist comments she received on social media, emphasizing that disagreement should not be expressed through racism.
Mertens secured a 6-3, 6-3 victory over Gauff, breaking Gauff’s serve four times. This win propelled Mertens to her first quarterfinal at a WTA 1000 event in five years. Reflecting on her victory, Mertens credited her motivation, dedicating the win to her coach/boyfriend on his upcoming birthday.
In another match, Iga Swiatek defeated American player Iva Jovic 6-1, 6-3 by breaking Jovic’s serve twice in the final games. Swiatek, a multiple Grand Slam champion, will face Mertens in the next round. Mertens has shown prowess by defeating top-10 opponents this year, including current No. 1 Elena Rybakina and defending champion Jasmine Paolini in previous tournaments.