<figure id="attachment_3175200" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-3175200" style="width: 1600px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-3175200" src="https://media.freemalaysiatoday.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/73a7d3a0-ap25277306570538.webp" alt="" width="1600" height="1000" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-3175200" class="wp-caption-text">Defending champion Coco Gauff was the overwhelming crowd favourite in the packed stadium. (AP pic)</figcaption></figure>
BEIJING: US Open runner-up Amanda Anisimova crushed defending champion Coco Gauff in just 58 minutes on Saturday to reach her first China Open final.
The third seed thrashed second-seeded fellow American Gauff 6-1, 6-2 in Beijing.
Anisimova plays either fifth seed Jessica Pegula, also of the US, or 26th-seeded Linda Noskova of the Czech Republic on Sunday.
&#8220;I was able to put on a really good performance,&#8221; Anisimova, beaten in the final in New York by Aryna Sabalenka, said afterwards.
&#8220;I knew I was gonna have to play really well against Coco if I wanted to get the win and I&#8217;m really excited to be in the final.&#8221;
Gauff was the overwhelming crowd favourite in the packed stadium but Anisimova thanked the fans.
&#8220;The crowd support has been so amazing since the first day I got here,&#8221; the 24-year-old said.
&#8220;I really think that that&#8217;s carried me through this entire tournament.&#8221;
Anisimova stormed into a 5-0 lead in 15 minutes as an uncharacteristically shaky Gauff hit a slew of shots long and into the net.
The 21-year-old reigning French Open winner double-faulted twice to give Anisimova two set points before finally getting herself onto the scoreboard.
But it was far too little, far too late.
Gauff&#8217;s nightmare continued in the second set as Anisimova again raced into a 5-0 lead.
Gauff managed to close that deficit by two games but a commanding Anisimova closed out in less than an hour.
Gauff&#8217;s only loss on Beijing&#8217;s centre Diamond Court before Saturday had been to Poland&#8217;s world number two Iga Swiatek in 2023, also in the semi-finals.

MatchPoint Times

Anisimova crushes Gauff in just 58 minutes to storm into China Open final

The third seed crushed second-seeded fellow American Coco Gauff 6-1, 6-2.

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