Gauff calls out Alcaraz for 'being late' for joint event In China last year
NewsWednesday, 24 September 2025 at 23:45
Coco Gauff has revealed what she would like to experience during her time in experience, and said Carlos Alcaraz is a part of the reason for it.
Gauff is the defending WTA champion at the China Open after winning the 2024 iteration. She secured her second 1000-level title by beating Karolina Muchova, whom she also defeated in the 2023 Cincinnati Open final.
Gauff and Alcaraz collaborated briefly before the tournament began. The pair is arguably the most popular players in the men's and women's games, so many were excited to see them together.
Gauff and Alcaraz went to the Forbidden City, one of the most popular tourist attractions in Beijing. However, in a press conference ahead of this year's event in the Chinese capital, the American revealed that Alcaraz came late, cutting the time they could visit.
"The Forbidden City, I would like to do it again, the full experience. I only did it, like, 25 minutes with Carlos. He came late, so it got cut short. I didn’t do it that much (smiling)."
Gauff hopes to visit there again and experience it fully after Alcaraz's late appearance lessened the visit. The 2025 French Open champion enjoys experiencing new cultures outside her home country.
"It was a great experience being there. I couldn't go around much last year. For me, it's great to see the culture here in China, see different things. Being there [in the Forbidden City] was a great experience for me. I'm really happy to be back here again in Beijing."
It is uncertain at this stage whether Gauff will get a chance to experience the Forbidden City during her current spell in Beijing. Committing to such things can be challenging for players since they often have a lot of media and sponsorship commitments before and during tournaments.
Gauff defends big part of her points at the China Open
Gauff entered the 2024 China Open without much form. After the 2024 US Open, she split from Brad Gilbert because of a series of poor results and replaced him with Matt Daly, who had an instant impact.
The 21-year-old's forehand was noticeably better during her run to last year's China Open. It seemed like Daly could be a long-term member of her team when she followed that up a few weeks later by winning the 2024 WTA Finals.
Despite Gauff lifting the Open title a few months ago with Daly on her team, she split with him shortly before the US Open. The most significant reason was not making adequate improvements on her serve.
Gauff lost in the US Open round of 16, the same result she achieved before her excellent run in Beijing last year. She hopes to find inspiration again and thrive in conditions that suit her athletic game.
Aryna Sabalenka's withdrawal from this year's event increases Gauff's chances. Iga Swiatek starts the tournament as the favorite because of her excellent form since the grass court swing, including her thrilling final victory at last week's Korea Open.
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