Alcaraz was criticized by a female colleague

25/09/2025 11:41:00 pandatv

Coco Gauff’s trip to the Forbidden City was unfortunately incomplete due to Carlos Alcaraz.

The current WTA 1000 China Open champion, Coco Gauff, recently shared her special experiences during the tournament in Beijing last year. One of the most notable stories was her visit to the Forbidden City with the current world No.1 male player, Carlos Alcaraz, but the trip did not go as planned.

The two attracted significant attention from the media and fans when they appeared together at the Forbidden City. However, Alcaraz’s late arrival significantly shortened their tour.

"I want to experience the Forbidden City again, a complete experience. I only spent about 25 minutes there with Carlos. He arrived late, so the time was cut short. I didn’t get to enjoy much (laughs).", Gauff revealed ahead of the China Open 2025. The 21-year-old player also expressed her strong desire to return to this historic site to fully appreciate the unique and fascinating Chinese culture, which she finds very special and captivating.

Alcaraz bị đồng nghiệp nữ chê trách-710717 — Carlos Alcaraz and Coco Gauff at the Forbidden City last year, both later won titles at the China Open.

It remains unclear whether Gauff will be able to revisit the Forbidden City during the China Open 2025, as players often have to follow a tight schedule filled with media activities and sponsor commitments.

Gauff arrived in Beijing amid inconsistent form. After losing in the fourth round of the 2025 US Open, she parted ways with coach Matt Daly, who had helped her win the China Open and the 2024 WTA Finals. This decision was reportedly due to limitations in improving her serve, a long-standing weakness of the American player.

Nevertheless, Aryna Sabalenka’s withdrawal from this year’s tournament opened a significant opportunity for Gauff. However, she will face fierce competition from Iga Swiatek, who is currently in excellent form after winning the recent Korea Open.

Meanwhile, although Carlos Alcaraz is the defending China Open champion, he chose not to participate this year, opting instead for the Japan Open, where he also took the chance to explore Japanese culture right after arriving in the "Land of the Rising Sun."

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