Coco Gauff handed another rankings boost as she continues winning streak in China

Coco Gauff will continue her climb up the WTA Rankings as she notched up her eighth consecutive win with victory in the third round of the Wuhan Open.

Days after winning the eighth title of her career by lifting the China Open in Beijing, Gauff extended her winning run with a 6-4, 6-1 defeat of Marta Kostyuk in just 61 minutes in the round of 16 in Wuhan.

Aged 20, Gauff has become the youngest player to win 70 WTA 1000 wins with Caroline Wozniacki, Victoria Azarenka and Iga Swiatek the only other players to achieve the feat before their 23rd birthday.

The win over Kostyuk was also her 17th at WTA 1000 hard-court events and she is third behind Caroline Wozniacki (25 in 2010) and Bianca Andreescu (19 in 2021) for most victories before turning 21.

“I played really well today. Marta is a tough opponent, but I’m really happy with how I played,” the American said. “Every match I’m just trying to push through. It’s been a lot of matches in a really short amount of time… but I’m really happy with how I played today.”

She added: “I have spent a lot of energy the last couple of days, so every match is a blessing. I am just happy to get the chance to play, maybe when I’m not 100%.”

There was also a boost in the WTA Rankings for Gauff as she will move back up to No 3 following Jessica Pegula’s 6-3, 7-5 defeat against Wang Xinyu at the WTA 1000 event.

The 2023 US Open champion slipped to No 6 in the WTA Rankings after she failed to defend her title at Flushing Meadows in September, but then returned to No 4 after winning the China Open.

But No 3 is her ceiling for the 2024 season as the top 2 of Iga Swiatek and Aryna Sabalenka are too far ahead of her with only the WTA Finals still to come.

Gauff will look to take her streak to nine matches when she faces Magda Linette in the quarter-final, but her partnership with new coach Matt Daly – who only joined her ahead of the Asian swing – already paying off.

Daly’s grip knowledge appears to have been key so far.

“I don’t want to give too much of what’s going on, but there are changes happening,” Gauff said.

The American added: “He has a lot of expertise in that area. Honestly, not just that. He does really good at tactical stuff, mental side, too. But yeah, Matt is great. We’re changing stuff.”