Coco Gauff clinches 1st year-ending championship at WTA Finals
American tennis sensation Coco Gauff has clinched her maiden year-ending championship title at the WTA Finals. The No. 3 seed defeated China's No.7 seed Zheng Qinwen in a nail-biting final that lasted more than three hours. The win is Gauff's ninth career WTA Tour singles title. Gauff won the clash 3-6. 6-4, 7-6. She served 5 aces in the match despite committing four double faults, she stood tall. Here are the details.
Gauff's comeback victory against Zheng Qinwen
Gauff showed incredible fight in her match against Zheng, coming back from the dead on multiple occasions to win 3-6, 6-4, 7-6(2). She came back from a break down in the second set and was twice down a break in the final third set. This performance is similar to her 2023 US Open title run where she also came back from a set down in three matches.
Gauff's record-breaking victory and prize money
Gauff's Riyadh win is the longest final at the WTA Finals since time stats were first recorded in 2008. Her efforts have been rewarded with a whopping $4,805,000—the largest payout at a Hologic WTA Tour event to date. The win also ensures her place as the season-ending World No.3 for two years in a row, further solidifying her status as one of tennis' rising stars.
Gauff's impressive late-season performance and hard-court record
After a Round-of-16 defeat in her US Open title defense, Gauff has made an incredible comeback by winning 12 of her last 14 matches this year. Her hard-court prowess is especially impressive as she became the first woman in the Open Era to win her first seven tour-level hard-court finals. With her latest win, she improves this record to an unbeaten 8-0 in hard-court finals and 9-1 in tour-level finals overall.
Gauff's historic win echoes Sharapova's 2004 victory
The championship match between 20-year-old Gauff and 22-year-old Zheng was historic, as it was the youngest combined age of singles finalists at the WTA Finals since Maria Sharapova defeated Serena Williams in 2004. Gauff is now the youngest WTA Finals titlist since a 17-year-old Sharapova won the title two decades ago. She also becomes only the fourth American to win this prestigious event before turning 21, joining an elite group that includes Chris Evert, Tracy Austin, and Serena Williams.
Gauff joins an elite list
As per Opta, Gauff is the first player since Serena (12, between US Open 2013 and Cincinnati 2015) to win 8+ consecutive hard court finals and the youngest since Martina Hingis in 1998.
More records for Gauff
Gauff is the sixth player to win a Grand Slam, WTA 1000 event (or equivalent) and the WTA Finals before turning 21 after Monica Seles, Hingis, Sharapova & the Williams sisters. Meanwhile, only Nancy Richey and Anna Smashnova (10 each) have won more titles after their first 10 WTA level finals than Gauff (nine) in the Open Era.
