Coco Gauff: when is US Open 2023 champion playing next? What is her schedule for rest of WTA Tour season?
It was the summer of Coco Gauff. Having started it by winning the Citi Open in Washington DC, Gauff followed up by clinching the WTA 1000 Cincinnati Open.
The victory in New York saw Gauff reach a career-high No. 3 in the world rankings, behind only world No. 2 Iga Swiatek and new world No. 1 Sabalenka.
Gauff has not played on the WTA Tour since her US Open, but when will she return and what events is she set to play before the end of the season?
When is Coco Gauff playing next?
Gauff was set to play the WTA 1000 Guadalajara Open, which started on September 18, but following her US Open win opted to take an extended break.
The WTA Tour is returning to China for the first time since early 2020 following the Covid-19 pandemic.
The WTA also suspended events in China in December 2021 following concerns about the safety of Chinese player Peng Shuai.
That suspension has now been lifted and the China Open is the last WTA 1000 event of the season, running from September 30 to October 8.
Gauff will be the third seed at the tournament behind Sabalenka and Swiatek.
It will be the first time that Gauff has played in China.
Coco Gauff of the United States poses with the winner’s trophy outside Arthur Ashe Stadium after beating Aryna Sabalenka of Russia in the final of the women’s singles at the US Open at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on September 09, 2023
Image credit: Getty Images
Gauff is not entered to play in the WTA 500 Zhengzhou Open in the week after the China Open.
Instead, it is likely that she will turn her attentions to the season-ending WTA Finals in Cancun, Mexico.
Gauff has already secured her place at the tournament following her successful summer, joining Sabalenka, Swiatek and Elena Rybakina as confirmed qualifiers.
Gauff played at the WTA Finals for the first time last year but lost all her round-robin matches in both singles and doubles.
The season might not end in Cancun for Gauff as she could also be part of United States’ Billie Jean King Cup squad for the finals in Spain from November 7-12.
Gauff played singles and doubles in the qualifying round win over Austria in April.
‘Gauff is not going to stop at one Grand Slam’
When Gauff does wrap up her season it won’t be long before attentions turn to 2024.
Having won her first Grand Slam title at the US Open, Gauff will likely be among the favourites for the 2024 Australian Open, which starts on January 15.
Former world No. 1 Andy Roddick thinks Gauff will have more major success in her sights.
“There are dominant forces in women’s tennis, but I don’t think three players are going to win 66 of the next however many Slams, so there’s a much better runway for her.
“With different women’s winners at the four Slams this year, there’s an intriguing level of parity.
“It seems to be building towards men’s tennis in the ’80s, where you had a bunch of players with the potential to win a handful, rather than everything resting on one or two people.”
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