Former World No.1 credits Coco Gauff for an ‘exceptional’ end to the season
Coco Gauff looked a player reborn after the US Open, winning titles in Beijing and the WTA Finals in Riyadh.
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Coco Gauff (via X/WTA)
Seven-time Grand Slam champion Justine Henin believes that Coco Gauff has the “resilience” needed to win many major titles in her career. Henin praised the young American’s mental strength and determination to succeed.
Gauff closed out her 2024 season on a high note with a remarkable win at the WTA Finals. She battled back from a set and a break down to defeat Qinwen Zheng in a thrilling final, marking her third title of the season. Despite some struggles with her serve and forehand, the former US Open champion ended the year as World No. 3.
She has a resilience that potentially will take her very far in terms of what she will win in her career. She has the capacity to bounce back, and that’s the sign of a potentially very big future. Of course, there is a path to get there and reach these successes. Her end of season has been really exceptional, the way that she went after the win in that final [against Qinwen].
Justine Henin said on Eurosport
Henin commended Gauff’s “capacity to bounce back” after setbacks. The 20-year-old finished her season strong by winning the China Open and reaching the semifinals at the Wuhan Open, after a challenging summer where she failed to reach the quarterfinals in five consecutive events.
It’s great to watch matches of that quality. We’ve seen a lot of them this year and we’re seeing some rivalries begin to establish themselves at the top of the game. Coco Gauff showed once again a lot of heart, she plays with her weaknesses, with her flaws, but she never gives up and that’s what she showed once more in that final.
Justine Henin added
Gauff faced disappointment in defending her U.S. Open and Cincinnati Open titles, exiting both tournaments earlier than expected. Still, Henin pointed out that Gauff, being only 20, has ample time to keep improving and refining her game.
Coco Gauff’s mouth-watering prize money revealed after WTA Finals triumph
Coco Gauff earned an astonishing $4.8 million prize money after winning the WTA Finals in Riyadh. The American beat Olympic gold medalist Qinwen Zheng with a score of 3-6, 6-4, 7-6 (2).
Earlier in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Gauff defeated the World No. 1 and No. 2 players, Aryna Sabalenka and Iga Swiatek, on her way to the final. The 2023 US Open champion’s victory capped her year with a 54-17 record and three titles.
In Saturday’s final, Gauff served five aces to just four double faults and had a higher first-serve success rate than Zheng. Her path to the title included wins over both Sabalenka and Swiatek, making her the youngest player to beat the top two women at a single tournament since Maria Sharapova did it at the 2006 U.S. Open. This victory was anything but easy, but Gauff’s persistence paid off.
It remains to be seen how big of a message this sends to the rest of the WTA tour. However, Gauff would be extremely optimistic going into the 2025 season looking at where she was after the Paris Olympics.
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Fahad Hamid
(624 Articles Published)