Coco Gauff edges Qinwen Zheng to win her first WTA Finals title
Coco Gauff has completely changed her fortunes since hiring new coach, Matt Daly, after the US Open earlier this year.
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Coco Gauff achieved a thrilling comeback victory at the WTA Finals in Riyadh, presented by PIF, securing her first-ever year-end championship title. The No. 3 seed Gauff edged past No. 7 seed Qinwen Zheng of China with a score of 3-6, 6-4, 7-6(2) in a final that lasted 3 hours and 4 minutes. This win earned her the Billie Jean King Trophy and marked her ninth career singles title on the Hologic WTA Tour. Notably, it was the longest WTA Finals match since time records began in 2008.
Gauff had to dig deep to secure the win against Zheng in her third consecutive appearance at the WTA Finals. She fought back after being down a break in the second set and faced two breaks in the third set, with the Olympic Gold medalist even serving for the match at 5-4.
This determined comeback was reminiscent of Gauff’s path to the 2023 US Open title, where she overcame one-set deficits in three separate matches. Although the American missed two match points at 6-5 in the final set, she dominated the tiebreak to seal her hard-fought victory.
For her remarkable performance in Riyadh, Gauff will receive $4,805,000—the largest payout at a Hologic WTA Tour event. Additionally, she ends the season as World No. 3 for the second year in a row.
Coco Gauff and Qinwen Zheng create history in Riyadh
Coco Gauff ended her season on a high note with her WTA Finals victory on Saturday (November 9), capping off a strong late-season performance. After an early loss in her US Open title defense, she bounced back impressively, winning 12 of her last 14 matches this year.
Qinwen Zheng also finished her season in great form. Following Wimbledon, the Olympic gold medalist posted a remarkable 31-6 record, leading the tour in match wins during that period. However, Gauff’s success in finals gave her the edge in their championship match, particularly on hard courts.
Last month, Gauff claimed the Beijing title, becoming the first woman in the Open Era to win her first seven hard-court finals. With her latest win in Riyadh, she extended that record to 8-0 on hard courts and 9-1 in finals overall. The match also set a record for youth, with 20-year-old Gauff and 22-year-old Zheng making it the youngest WTA Finals singles showdown since 2004.
This title places Gauff in an elite group as one of the youngest Americans to win the WTA Finals, joining legends like Chris Evert, Tracy Austin, and Serena Williams. She also achieved another milestone this week, becoming only the second American under 21 since 1990 to score four Top 10 wins in a single event, a feat last accomplished by Lindsay Davenport at the 1996 Olympics.
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Fahad Hamid
(624 Articles Published)