Coco Gauff crowned her breakthrough season by capturing the WTA Finals title in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, with a hard-fought victory over China’s Olympic gold medalist Zheng Qinwen.
In an epic three-hour and four-minute battle, Gauff rallied from a set and break down to clinch a 3-6, 6-4, 7-6 (7/2) win, becoming the youngest WTA Finals champion in two decades.
The victory makes her the first American to win the title since Serena Williams in 2014 and highlights her ascent into the world’s tennis elite.
This WTA Finals, hosted in Riyadh, marked Saudi Arabia’s debut as a host for a professional women’s tennis event.
Gauff acknowledged the significance of the tournament’s location, saying, “This is the first professional women’s tennis event here in Saudi Arabia, and I’ll forever be etched in history in that standard.”
Her victory also comes with a record-breaking prize of $4.8 million, the largest ever awarded at a sanctioned tour event. Gauff, known for her humility and humor, laughed when she learned the amount, saying, “That’s a lot of money… hopefully I’m one of the highest-paid female athletes this year!”
The 20-year-old Gauff had an impressive journey to the title, defeating top-seeded players, including world number one Aryna Sabalenka and number two Iga Swiatek.
Known for her agility, powerful groundstrokes, and defensive resilience, Gauff showed her mental fortitude throughout the week, winning four top-eight matchups to reach the final. In her match against Zheng, she faced an aggressive opponent but overcame the odds by adjusting her tactics and maintaining her composure.
In the final, Zheng, 22, started strong, taking advantage of Gauff’s errors to secure the first set 6-3 and leading 3-1 in the second. Gauff responded with grit, breaking Zheng’s serve to level the match at 3-3, and went on to claim the second set 6-4.
The final set was a rollercoaster as Zheng built a 5-3 lead, only for Gauff to fight back, saving break points to push the match into a tiebreak. In the breaker, Gauff came alive, racing to a 6-0 lead before sealing the victory on her fifth match point.
Zheng, who fought valiantly, became only the second Asian woman, following Li Na in 2013, to reach the WTA Finals title match. Reflecting on the loss, Zheng said, “It hurts to lose this match, but I think it’s better I forget it and move on for my next steps.”
Despite her disappointment, Zheng will finish the season with a career-high world ranking of number five, capping an impressive run where she won 31 of her last 37 matches.
This WTA Finals win caps an incredible year for Gauff, who also won her maiden Grand Slam at the US Open and climbed to world number three.
The victory marks her fourth WTA title of the season and cements her status as one of the brightest stars in women’s tennis. Gauff has shown that she can handle the pressures of high-stakes matches, combining tactical skill with mental resilience.
Her win in Riyadh signals her readiness to take on even greater challenges as she eyes a potential rise to the world number one ranking.
Dabrowski and Routliffe’s victory was a testament to their chemistry and strategic play throughout the tournament.
Gauff’s achievement in Riyadh not only underscores her impressive progress but also highlights the emergence of young talent in women’s tennis.
As she looks forward to a new season, Gauff is poised to be a formidable contender for the sport’s top titles, inspiring fans and setting new standards for the next generation of tennis stars.
