Coco Gauff Triumphs at WTA Finals with Stunning Comeback

Coco Gauff clinched the WTA Finals title in a thrilling comeback against Zheng Qinwen, winning 3-6, 6-4, 7-6 (7-2) in just over three hours in Saudi Arabia. At 20, Gauff became the youngest player to win the event since Maria Sharapova in 2004 and the youngest American since Serena Williams in 2001. The victory earned Gauff a record $4.8m prize, marking a historic moment for women’s tennis in Saudi Arabia.

Gauff faced a challenging start with Zheng breaking her serve early in the first set and holding on to win 6-3. However, Gauff bounced back in the second, breaking Zheng’s serve three times to force a decider. In the third set, Zheng took control but Gauff refused to give up, breaking back and forcing a tie-break where she dominated to seal the win.

This triumph marked Coco Gauff’s third title of 2024, despite not reaching a Grand Slam final. Her season featured strong runs at the Australian Open and Roland Garros but she was eliminated in the semis at both. Gauff had previously expressed reservations about playing in Saudi Arabia due to human rights concerns but after her victory, she expressed hope for more events in the country in the future.

Zheng, despite the defeat had an outstanding year. She reached her first Grand Slam final in January, winning China’s first Olympic singles gold medal in Paris. Zheng will begin 2025 as a top-five player, a career milestone. In the doubles, Erin Routliffe and Gabriela Dabrowski won the title, defeating Taylor Townsend and Katerina Siniakova 7-5, 6-3, avenging their Wimbledon loss.