Sawt Falasteen - Gauff launches China Open title defence in style

The world number three from the United States will next face Canada's Leylah Fernandez in Beijing, who triumphed 6-2, 6-0 over Greece's Maria Sakkari in Beijing.

"I think the mindset is a little bit different just because when you play well at a place, you have a lot of confidence," Gauff said after the match.

"When those tough moments happen, you feel the familiarity of the conditions from the years before that," she said.

In her first appearance since the US Open, the defending Beijing champion powered through a drawn-out second game to save four break points and level for 1-1 with a cross-court winner.

Gauff broke first, landing the ball right on the line for a 4-3 lead.

The reigning French Open champion won the next game and, although Rakhimova held her off for one more, it was Gauff again who triumphed.

An energised Gauff broke early without losing a single point in the first game of the second set and defended against a fighting Rakhimova for a 2-0 lead.

The 21-year-old American worked hard to save three break points over the frustrated but defiant 89th-ranked Russian to pick up a third straight game.

Gauff made quick work of the rest to deny 24-year-old Rakhimova any chance of a comeback and closed out the match without trouble.

"I expected it to be close," Gauff told reporters.

"She's a great player, and she's had competitive results with top players in the last few tournaments.

"I just found my rhythm and got in the flow.

"Nobody wants to lose first round, so I was just a little bit tight, I think, but I was able to loosen up and I think that showed in the score."

Gauff's biggest rival in Beijing is world number two Iga Swiatek, fresh off a title in Seoul, after top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka withdrew.

A men's ATP 500 event is also running in Beijing.

J.AbuHassan--SF-PST