Belgian tennis player Elise Mertens achieved a significant victory on Wednesday at the China Open, defeating American Coco Gauff with a score of 6-3, 6-3 to advance to the quarterfinals.
This win not only marked Mertens’ entry into the next round but also ended her five-match losing streak against Gauff.
Ranked 13th, Mertens had previously lost all five encounters with Gauff, though she had come close to victory on two occasions. This time, she maintained control throughout the match, ensuring it did not slip away from her grasp. Demonstrating a composed performance, Mertens dispatched the third-seeded Gauff in straight sets.
From the outset, Mertens took charge of the match, needing no decisive set to secure her win, unlike in her earlier matches in the tournament. She won 10 of her last 11 service points and concluded the match with her second ace.
Mertens’ impressive journey in the China Open continued, as she had already overcome two challenging opponents to reach the quarterfinals. In the second round, she battled for nearly three hours against Katie Volynets after dropping a set. In the third round, she rebounded from a slow start against Jelena Ostapenko in a decisive set.
Against Gauff, Mertens avoided another lengthy match and capitalized on the American’s errors. Gauff struggled to maintain consistent performance throughout the match, committing 34 unforced errors. Her serve faltered at crucial moments, with eight double faults compounding her difficulties. Frustration became evident in the second set; trailing 1-4, Gauff expressed to her team that she felt drained and on the verge of fainting.
This victory marks Mertens’ 10th career win against a top-5 player and her second such win this season, having previously defeated Elena Rybakina at Wimbledon. It is only the third season in which she has secured multiple wins against top-5 players.
Looking ahead, Mertens faces another significant challenge in the quarterfinals against eighth seed Iga Swiatek, a former China Open champion. Swiatek has won their last two encounters, but Mertens’ recent success has provided her with renewed confidence. She aims to reach the semifinals of a WTA 1000-level tournament for the first time since Dubai in 2021.
Gauff’s journey in Beijing came to an end in the fourth round, while Mertens advanced to the last eight, successfully turning the tide against one of her toughest opponents.