Gauff demotes Asian swing events to warmup status

China Open defending champion Coco Gauff has downgraded the WTA autumn Asian run of events to “preseason” status, with the world No. 3 admitting she’s already concentrating on the January start of the 2026 season.

Gauff, whose last match came in a fourth-round US Open loss to Naomi Osaka, did little to win over local fans in Beijing as the China Open got underway.

The Floridian who won the Roland Garros title in the spring, has had little success since, losing in the Wimbledon first round and disappointing on summer hardcourts in Cincinnati and New York with modest showings.

Gauff said she looks upon the Asian run as prep for the new year, hardly the news that Chinese organisers wasn to hear with the national Golden Week holiday approaching next week.

“I guess the focus is really just building for next year and treating this part of the swing kind of as a pre-season almost, which I did that last year,” Gauff said at the tournament draw ceremony.

“Ended up being successful, so we’ll see. Although technically I’m the defending champion, it doesn’t feel like that at all.”

The American won the title a year ago over Karolina Muchova.