CHINA OPEN

October 6, 2026

Coco Gauff

Mixed Zone

C. GAUFF/Sun Xinran

7-5, 6-1

Q. What impressed you about her game? What is her standout shot?

COCO GAUFF: What impressed me? She doesn't have any major weaknesses. She can get a lot of balls back and play aggressive. She hits it real flat. Kind of reminds me of Jess a little bit.

Her standout shot? Honestly I think it depends on the player. Today she was hitting her forehand line really well. Obviously she has a great backhand, too. Killed me on a couple backhand crosses.

I don't know what her standout shot is. Maybe you have to ask her (smiling).

Q. You mentioned different playing styles. Could you detail that a little bit more and also how you adjusted?

COCO GAUFF: Yeah, I think I only saw two matches of her. Well, two and a half. I watched some highlights of the junior finals she played in US Open. Because she won her two matches on tour, sometimes I like to see my opponent lose so I know what to do. But she won that match. I watched the set that she lost.

I think for me, even watching those matches, I had no idea how to play today (laughter). My coach gave me a strategy. Honestly, I don't even know if I really followed it. I was trying to figure her out.

It's so tough when you're playing not even just young players but players that don't have a lot of video footage or statistics. WTA Tour going off of two matches of statistics, it means nothing.

Today it was just about feeling. I was trying not to get frustrated out there. I knew she was going to play great tennis. I wasn't surprised by the level at all. I think that was probably the best prep, just expecting her to play top-10, top-20 tennis, which I think she did.

Q. Was there any moment out there that made you feel you were competing against a younger version of yourself?

COCO GAUFF: No, just because we play so different. Like, she plays a little bit more flatter. I mean, she's really athletic, so I will say on that point of getting a lot of balls back, probably. I feel like we play a little bit different. Didn't feel like myself. Felt like I'm playing a girl who is going to be, like, a really great player for many years to come.

Yeah, honestly I think that took the pressure off of me because knowing how good of a player she's going to be, it's like if I lose this match, obviously it's going to be a big story, but in the grand scheme of things, even next year she's going to be a great player. Five years from now I'm going to look back and not feel so bad that I lost.

Yeah, one of those players that you know is going to do well on tour. It's just a matter of time.

Q. Can you gauge your game? Are you feeling more comfortable out there, things are starting to click a little bit more?

COCO GAUFF: I definitely thought today was better off the ground than against Camila. Especially, again, another flat player. Those are the players that it's a little bit harder for me sometimes.

I think today I felt like I was playing a little bit more consistent and making less errors. I thought a lot of the exchanges we had were pretty good ones.

Q. The crowd was pretty loud tonight for her. How do you think you were able to silence that and focus on your game?

COCO GAUFF: I knew they were going to be loud. But they were pretty respectful, honestly. The rowdiest I think I played was in Rome against Jasmine in the final. I've had experience.

Yeah, even that one point where I had to do the VR, I got a boo for half a second. I think they thought I was complaining about the crowd at first. Once they realized it was about the lights, then I think they were okay.

Q. Novak, what he's done here. Never lost a match. Into a final. What does something like that mean to you as a young player?

COCO GAUFF: I mean, it's an alien honestly. I was watching the match. I mean, even from Daniil, it was just like there is no unforced errors to win these points. It was the same level, two hours and whatever, 30 minutes for two sets, which is insane. It was an unfortunate ending, but I'm glad it got finished in two sets, otherwise we would be here much later.

Novak is an alien. I don't know how he does it honestly at this age. So good, I don't know.