Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the WTA Beijing match.
Amanda Anisimova
Anisimova is the WTA world No. 4 and she has delivered her best season to date, winning 73% of her matches on hard courts (22:8). In Beijing she defeated Katie Boulter (6:1, 6:3) and Zhang Shuai (7:6, 6:0) with authority, although she had to come from behind against Karolína Muchová and Jasmine Paolini. Her technique allows her to sustain long rallies, yet Amanda has lost five of her last seven against top-10 opponents. At this tournament she has produced a heavy serve, averaging four aces per match, and she has kept double faults to a minimum, averaging only three per match. Anisimova leads the head-to-head 2-1 over Coco Gauff, including on hard courts back in 2017.
Coco Gauff
Gauff is world No. 3 and she has reached the Beijing semi-finals for a third straight year, having lifted the title in 2024. She has won 75% of her hard-court matches this season (24:8), and she has avoided major lapses in Beijing. Her path has included wins over Kamilla Rakhimova (6:4, 6:0), Leylah Fernandez (6:4, 4:6, 7:5), Belinda Bencic (4:6, 7:6, 6:2) and Eva Lys (6:3, 6:4). Her game is attacking, with flat strikes taken on the rise that set the pace. Her physical condition is excellent and her return is powerful, but the serve remains a weakness: Coco averages 6.8 double faults per match, which is the highest statistic on tour.
Amanda Anisimova vs Coco Gauff Prediction
Coco Gauff is traditionally strong in Beijing and she is motivated to defend ranking points. Her tempo and return should exert sustained pressure on Anisimova, whose results against top-10 opposition have been inconsistent. However, Amanda is playing well enough to make this a contest and to cover a positive game handicap.
