Karolina Muchova vs Coco Gauff Prediction: Karolina will win a set

The final of the 2023 WTA 1000 Beijing, China, has two in-form players against each other: current WTA #49 Karolina Muchova and WTA #6 Coco Gauff. Both have had an excellent tournament, and this is a great opportunity to see contrasting styles and mentalities with each trying to win.

Karolina Muchova heads into this final in the best of form, having won 9 of her last 10 matches. She convincingly defeated home favorite Qinwen Zheng in straight sets, 6-3, 6-4, showcasing her all-around game and mental fortitude under pressure. Muchova's key strength is in her variety - she can mix powerful groundstrokes with finesse shots and has excellent net play, which can make her an unpredictable opponent. She's also been solid at the back of the court, with a first-serve success rate of 68%, while during her semifinal match, she saved 100% of break points against her and has been fairly difficult to break thus far in the competition.

Muchova's gameplan will most probably revolve around exploiting occasional inconsistency from Gauff's second serve. Having a good return game-60% second serve return points against Zheng-she will be aggressive to test Gauff early in the rallies. Moreover, Muchova's slicing and the ability to mix in drop shots can disrupt Gauff's rhythm on the slow hard courts of Beijing where point construction trumps outright power.

Meanwhile, Coco Gauff has continued the sensational form she showed in 2023 by winning the US Open and reaching yet another major final here in Beijing. In what was a really tough semifinal three-set battle, Gauff fought through against Paula Badosa 4-6, 6-4, 6-2, showing her grit. Though the first serve percentage for Gauff was relatively low at 57%, power and aggressive baseline play helped her dominate these moments of truth. Her ability to convert 6 break points in the semifinal underlines her attacking mindset. However, her 11 double faults could prove a point of concern in the final.

That said, Gauff will most likely look to apply her athleticism and weighty groundstrokes against the opponent. She'll need to increase her first-serve percentage lest she give Too many easy looks at second serves to Muchova. The aggressive game from the baseline will be important for Gauff, and if she manages those unforced errors along with double faults, she can actually outrun Muchova in longer rallies. Moreover, the game of returning from Gauff will have to be as on target as against Badosa, for whom she took 44% of first-serve and 43% of second-serve returns, against Muchova's precise serving.

Coco Gauff leads their head-to-head 2-0 against Karolina Muchova. Their last meeting was just recently at the 2023 US Open, where Gauff came out on top in straight sets, 6-4, 7-5. Hard court here in Beijing-just like at the US Open-so could give her a psychological advantage coming into this match.

While both have been playing pretty well, the physicality and mental toughness of Gauff have been critical in moments of truth. Muchova will have to be at her creative best if she is to unsettle Gauff, especially forcing her out of position on the court. The capability of the Czech player to construct points patiently, complemented by variety, does give her a fighting chance; however, the superior firepower and fitness that Gauff comes with make her the slight favorite.

• Over 20.5 Games @ 1.605 Odds
• Over 21.5 Games @ 1.84 Odds
• Coco Gauff to Win 2-1 @ 4.50 Odds