Oct 7·Sports
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Mertens Beats Gauff 6-3, 6-3 to Reach China Open Quarterfinals
Elize Mertens defeated Coco Gauff 6-3, 6-3 in the China Open fourth round, securing her first career win over the American in six meetings and advancing to her maiden Beijing quarterfinal. Gauff, the world number four and highest-ranked player remaining in the women's draw, delivered an uncharacteristic performance marked by physical struggles and 34 unforced errors, compounded by dealing with racist abuse online following her previous match.
Quick Facts
- Fourth-round match at China Open women's singles
- Mertens defeated Gauff in straight sets
- Gauff received racist abuse online after previous match
- Mertens advanced to quarterfinals
- Swiatek defeated Jovic to reach quarterfinals
Elize Mertens defeated Coco Gauff 6-3, 6-3 in the fourth round of the China Open on Wednesday, securing her first victory over the American in six meetings and advancing to her maiden Beijing quarterfinal. The 30-year-old Belgian, seeded 13th, capitalized on Gauff's uncharacteristic performance, which included eight double faults and 34 unforced errors. Mertens sealed the win in 78 minutes with an ace on her second match point.
Gauff, ranked world number four and the highest-ranked player remaining in the women's draw, struggled both physically and mentally during the match. She told her team courtside at 4-1 down in the second set that she had "no energy" and felt as though she would pass out. Mertens acknowledged noticing Gauff's energy drop but remained cautious, having previously held significant leads against the American without winning. The 2024 Beijing champion had won the first five career encounters between the two players.
The victory marked Mertens' 10th career Top 5 win and her second of 2026, following an upset of Elena Rybakina at Wimbledon. It represents the third time in her career she has scored multiple Top 5 wins in a single season. Mertens dedicated the win to her coach and boyfriend, Christopher Heyman, on his birthday.
Gauff faced additional off-court pressures heading into the match. The American had received what she described as an "insane" amount of racist abuse online following her previous-round victory over Chinese teenager Sun Xinran. That match drew criticism and crowd boos when Gauff requested a video review of flickering LED lights on advertising hoardings before Sun's return. Gauff condemned the racist comments on social media, stating: "You can dislike me or disagree about what happened without being racist."
Mertens advances to face Poland's Iga Swiatek, the 2023 Beijing champion and number 8 seed, in the quarterfinals. Swiatek advanced by defeating American teenager Iva Jovic 6-1, 6-3. Mertens holds an 0-2 record against Swiatek but will be bidding to reach her first semifinal at WTA 1000 level or above since Dubai 2021. Gauff will travel to the Wuhan Open, which begins October 13, seeking to defend her 2025 title from that tournament.
Topics
Why This Matters
Mertens advances to her first Beijing quarterfinal and will face Swiatek, the 8th seed and 2023 champion, seeking her first WTA 1000+ semifinal since 2021. Gauff, the world number four, departs the draw as the highest-ranked remaining player; her physical struggles and 34 unforced errors in straight sets illustrate a measurable performance dip. The match occurs amid documented online racist abuse directed at Gauff following her previous-round victory, which involved a video review request that generated crowd criticism in Beijing.
Timeline & Sources
Jan 1, 2021
WireFirst meeting between Mertens and Gauff at Eastbourne; Gauff won 0-6, 7-6(4), 7-5 after Mertens led 6-0, 3-1
Jan 1, 2024
WireGauff won China Open championship
Oct 5, 2026
WireGauff defeated Sun Xinran in third round; Gauff received racist abuse online following the match
Oct 7, 2026
WireMertens defeated Gauff 6-3, 6-3 in fourth round; Swiatek defeated Jovic 6-1, 6-3 in fourth round
Oct 13, 2026
WireWuhan Open begins