Roger Federer’s Ex-Coach Calls Coco Gauff Best Player on WTA Tour After Wuhan Win
Coco Gauff took home her second singles title of the season by beating Jessica Pegula at the Wuhan Open.
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Coco Gauff (via X/Jose Morgado)
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After defats one after the other, Coco Gauff ended the Wuhan Open in her favor for the first time in her career. Gauff went past compatriot Jessica Pegula in straight sets to add her third WTA 1000 title to her trophy cabinet.
It was her second title of the season following the French Open crown she won by defeating Aryna Sabalenka. The 21-year-old, since that win, failed to progress to the final of the six tournaments she played, including at the China Open where she entered as the defending champion. Recently Roger Federer‘s former coach Paul Annacone, during an interview with Tennis Channel commented on Gauff’s recent campaigns and also shared what Gauff is better at than other WTA players.
It’s been a great year, highlighted by her impeccable run to the Roland Garros title, but there’s been some ups and downs in the months since – in large part due to a case of the serving yips. She’s admirably sought to solve that problem for good, and she just captured her first WTA 1000 title of the season in Wuhan. Her competitive spirit is second to none, so I think this is a great challenge and she will be really motivated to finish by defending her title in Riyadh.
It was her fourth final of the season. Earlier this year, she reached the final of the Madrid Open and the Italian Open, losing both to Sabalenka and Jasmine Paolini, respectively.
Andy Roddick on what is weird about Coco Gauff
Coco Gauff has been working a lot on her serving techniques and double faults often ends up ruining her matches. The two-time Grand Slam singles champion even broke down into tears twice before and after her second-round US Open match against Donna Vekic because of her double faults. Following her Wuhan Open win, compatriot Andy Roddick talked about the criticism Gauff has been facing because of the ups and downs this season.
It feels like we’re always negative, and then she just wins stuff. It’s weird in a way because everyone criticises Coco and, in a way, you should; it’s weird to see someone who is two or three in the world double-fault like she has and go through those kinds of mental demons, even though we weren’t supposed to call it that at the US Open, but I think it was.
Andy Roddick said on his Served podcast
Gauff made her Wuhan Open debut last year and lost to eventual champion Aryna Sabalenka in the semifinals. The Wuhan Open win did not affect her ranking as she continues to stand on the third position with 7873 points, while second-placed Iga Swiatek has 8768 points. Sabalenka continues to sit on top of the rankings table with 10,400 points.
What’s next for Coco Gauff?
Several WTA 250 events will he held this month, plus WTA 500 Ningbo Open is also underway. But Gauff is not expected to feature in any of these events as her next goal will be to end the WTA Finals in her favor.
Gauff will be playing the year-end championships as the defending champion (beat 2024 Paris Olympic gold medalist Qinwen Zheng last year). The WTA Finals is scheduled to start on November 3 in Riyadh.
Gauff has already qualified for the event. Apart from her and Sabalenka and Swiatek, the players to qualify are: two-time Grand Slam finalist Amanda Anisimova, reigning Australian Open champion Madison Keys, and 2024 US Open finalist Pegula. Mirra Andreeva, Jasmine Paolini, and Elena Rybakina are in Ningbo, fighting to qualify for the WTA Finals.
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