Coco Gauff will miss next week’s Dongfeng Voyah · Wuhan Open, the tournament has announced on social media.
“I’m disappointed to withdraw from Wuhan, especially as the defending champion,” Gauff said, according to an Instagram story posted by the tournament. “I always love playing there. After a long year, my body needs some time to rest and recover. I look forward to returning next year.”
Gauff, who won the title in Wuhan last year without dropping a set, is coming off a run to the fourth round in Beijing. After back-to-back wins over Camila Osorio and junior World No. 1 Sun Xinran, Gauff struggled mightily against Elise Mertens on Wednesday. The World No. 4 had 34 unforced errors, including eight double faults.
“I think I just didn’t play well,” Gauff told reporters after the 6-3, 6-3 loss. “I think I wasn’t moving well. There were a lot of things I didn’t do well.”
The 12-time WTA Tour Driven by Mercedes-Benz champion admitted that she was “just a bit flat,” and was looking forward to getting some much-needed rest.
Gauff is currently fifth on the PIF WTA Race to the Finals leaderboard.
Naomi Osaka will also miss the Wuhan Open, the tournament announced. Like Gauff, Osaka made it to the Round of 16 in Beijing, losing to Karolina Muchova 7-5, 1-6, 7-6 (7) in a match that lasted 2 hours and 52 minutes. Osaka led by a break in both the first and third sets, but Muchova rallied before clinching the win on her ninth match point.
Home favorite Zheng Qinwen, still in the field in Beijing, will replace Osaka in the draw, the tournament announced.
In addition to Gauff and Osaka, World No. 1 Elena Rybakina and Amanda Anisimova will miss Wuhan, the final WTA 1000 tournament of the season. Aryna Sabalenka is projected to be the top seed.
First-round action in Wuhan will begin on Monday, Oct. 12. The tournament will run through Sunday, Oct. 18, when both the singles and doubles finals will be played.