Anisimova crushes Gauff’s defense in Beijing rout

In the crisp evening air of Beijing, Amanda Anisimova dismantled what was billed as a marquee semifinal, overpowering defending champion Coco Gauff 6-1, 6-2 in a mere 58 minutes. The all-American clash unfolded on the tournament’s medium-paced hard courts, where Anisimova’s deep, penetrating groundstrokes found their mark from the opening point. Gauff, seeded No. 2 and burdened by title defense expectations, faltered early, her errors mounting as the crowd sensed the mismatch unfolding.

Gauff stumbles amid mounting pressure

The weight of protecting her China Open crown pressed heavily on Gauff from the baseline, her forehand spraying wide on crosscourt attempts and leaving easy putaways for her opponent. Anisimova exploited these lapses with sharp inside-out forehands that pinned Gauff deep, disrupting any chance to regain footing on the consistent surface. As the first set slipped away, Gauff’s serve dipped below 50 percent effectiveness, allowing Anisimova to break repeatedly and dictate the tempo with precise one–two combinations.

Beijing: Scores | Draws | Order of play captured the one-sided affair, with Gauff securing just three games total amid a season of high-stakes scrutiny. Her movement, usually a hallmark of athletic retrieval, appeared a beat slow, haunted by recent losses that tested her resolve. This semifinal exposed vulnerabilities in her return positioning, particularly against topspin-heavy attacks that the hard courts amplified, turning potential rallies into quick points for Anisimova.

Anisimova surges with tactical poise

Locked in from the first ball, Anisimova varied her assault with backhand slices that skimmed low over the net, forcing Gauff into awkward stretches and breaking her rhythm entirely. The No. 3 seed’s aggressive returns converted breaks at a high clip in the second set, her confidence building as the points shortened and the crowd’s murmurs shifted to appreciative hums. This approach not only neutralized Gauff’s counterpunching instincts but also highlighted Anisimova’s growth on hard courts, where depth and placement have become her weapons of choice.

Advancing to her first China Open final and second WTA 1000 decider of the season, Anisimova now eyes a clash with the winner of Jessica Pegula versus Linda Noskova. Her composure under the Beijing lights stood in stark contrast to Gauff’s fraying edges, propelling her toward a potential rankings boost. With the final promising another test of endurance, Anisimova’s focused intensity positions her to seize a career-defining moment on this stage.