Fourth-seeded Coco Gauff sailed to a 6-1, 6-1 victory over No. 13 Karolina Muchova on Thursday to book a spot in the Miami Open championship match in Miami Gardens, Fla.
Gauff saved 7 of 8 break points in the 89-minute match while improving to 6-0 all-time against the Czech star to reach her sixth career 1000-level title match. She prevailed in three of the previous five such finals.
Gauff will face either top-seeded and defending champion Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus or No. 3 seed Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan in Saturday’s final. Those two women play later Thursday.
“I haven’t played either this year, so it will be a good matchup to see where I am,” Gauff said post-match. “I am going out there with the belief that I can win.”
Each of Gauff’s first four Miami matches went three sets before she cruised past Muchova. She had 17 winners against 12 unforced errors.
“Today was a bit more straightforward,” said Gauff, “but this week has been a lot of long matches. Though the battles I was having were fun, it’s nice to get through in two sets today.”
Gauff considered skipping her home-state event after a disappointing performance at Indian Wells earlier this month. She retired from a third-round loss to Alexandra Eala of the Philippines due to a left arm injury.
“After Indian Wells, there were thoughts of maybe not playing this tournament,” Gauff said. “Honestly, I thought I wasn’t going to. Then I woke up one day and said I need to try to play if I’m healthy.
“If there was a tournament that would get my joy and groove back, I felt like it would’ve been this one being around my family and the home crowd.”
Muchova struggled throughout the match and 26 of her 37 unforced errors came off her forehand.
After Muchova won the opening game, Gauff won the next 10 to seize control.
Gauff will be attempting to become the second American in three years to win the Miami title. Danielle Collins won the event in 2024.
–Field Level Media
