KATIE BOULTER was knocked out of the China Open following a straight-sets defeat to Coco Gauff in the third round.

A battling performance saw Boulter test the world number six, but Gauff managed to snatch a tight first set before wrapping up victory in the second to win 7-5 6-2.

Gauff will now face either Naomi Osaka or Katie Volynets in the last 16.

Boulter beat Taylor Townsend to set up a meeting with Gauff and there was little to separate the pair in the early stages, but after breaking Boulter’s serve in the sixth game, Gauff began to pull ahead.

But the British number one battled back and some solid serving helped her recover from 5-2 down to level at 5-5 before Gauff eventually took the first set on her third set point of the 12th game.

Gauff enjoyed a bright start to the second set and broke Boulter in the fourth game to move ahead before going on to claim victory on her second match point.