Miami Gardens finally agrees with Coco Gauff.
After not getting past the fourth round in all her previous tries, Gauff is on to the Miami Open finals after a super dominant 6-1, 6-1 rout of No. 13 seed Karolina Muchova at Hard Rock Stadium on March 26.
Gauff, the Delray Beach icon, needed three sets in her previous four victories before Thursday’s overwhelming performance over Muchova in front of her home crowd, boosting her record over the powerful Czech Republic player to 6-0.
Before the tournament, the fourth-seeded Gauff had talked about family distractions being perhaps a cause to her poorest performance in a WTA 1000 happening in Miami Gardens. In every other event that gives 1,000 tour points, she’s advanced to the quarterfinals.
“It means a lot,’’ Gauff said afterward. ”Not expected. It’s pretty crazy I’m in the finals. This tournament means a lot.’’
Gauff will play Thursday night’s winner between defending champion and top seed Aryna Sabalenka and No. 2 seed Elena Rybakina in the March 28 finals.
On the court, Gauff said if there was one tournament she felt she’d be able to turn around, it would be in Miami.
Later at her press conference, Gauff said the reason was low expectations.
“I feel like it could have been this one because of just being home and also knowing that I haven’t done well in the past,’’ Gauff said. “So there’s no high expectations. I’m not coming here knowing this is an event I play really well at. If I don’t do well, it’s another year that I have to learn from.’’
After her first Miami victory, Gauff said she’s motivated by the fact her team didn’t want her to play the Miami Open because of a nerve injury in her left arm that forced her retirement in Indian Wells against Alexandra Eala.
There was a funny moment at her press conference when a reporter asked if there’s a female equivalent for owning an opponent like there is in the men’s game with the expression: “Who’s your daddy?’’
Gauff said she’s not aware of one but offered up, “I don’t know. Dominatrix?’’
In all, Gauff broke Muchova’s serve six times, even though four of her first five service games went to deuce. Gauff zeroed in on Muchova’s weaker backhand and struggled to find an explanation on why she’s 6-0 against her.
“I don’t know honestly,’’ Gauff said. “I think maybe athletically, like, we’re both pretty athletic players and can cover a lot of court, and I feel that maybe I have to make her go for the bigger shots.’’
Gauff, whose serve has been a question mark, won 77 percent of her first serves as the two-time Grand Slam champion zeroes in on her first Miami crown. And first title of 2026 during a to-date subpar start.
“I feel like the improvements are happening, especially with my forehand,’’ Gauff said. “I think I was really happy with how it’s been this whole tournament. I said earlier this year that I felt like I was practicing well and just waiting for it to click. And I think it’s not obviously fully clicked, but I think it is clicking.’’
Clicking to The Finals.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Coco Gauff easily advances to Miami Open finals at Hard Rock Stadium
Reporting by Marc Berman, Special to The Post / Palm Beach Post
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
