By Richard Pagliaro | @Tennis_Now | Saturday, November 9, 2024
Coco Gauff broke when Zheng Qinwen served for the title sparking a 3-6, 6-4, 7-6(2) comeback win to capture the WTA Finals title and a record $4.8 million champion's check.
Photo credit: Fayez Nureldine-AFP-Getty
Downsides are only start ups for Coco Gauff.
Today, a spirited Gauff rode an unrelenting comeback charge to the WTA Finals championship.
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In a frenetic final, Gauff broke when Zheng Qinwen served for the title at 5-4 storming to a 3-6, 6-4, 7-6(2) triumph in the Riyadh final.
“I want to congratulate Qinwen on an amazing match and tournament,” Gauff said. “You’ve had a stellar season. Winning the gold medal and all the finals and hopefully we can play many more finals together…It’s fun competition.”
Rallying from a set and a 1-3 deficit, a gritty Gauff roared back from a break down twice in the decider then sped to a 6-0 lead in the tiebreaker.
Gauff converted her fifth championship point to close a physical three hour, four-minute triumph and complete one of the most memorable rallies of her career.
At 20 years, 241 days old, Gauff is the youngest woman to win the WTA Finals since Maria Sharapova (17 years, 210 days) in 2004.
It’s a monumental comeback of speed, spirit and mental strength from Gauff, who improved to 9-1 in WTA Finals.
Gauff collected a record WTA champion’s check of $4.805 million—the largest payday in Tour history—and made more history as the first woman in Open Era to post an 8-0 record in her first eight hard-court finals.
The 2023 US Open champion’s resounding recovery completes an outstanding week that saw her beat No. 2 Iga Swiatek in round-robin play then topple world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka in the semifinals. Gauff is the seventh woman in the last 40 years to defeat world No.1 and No. 2 at the WTA Finals.
It’s a painful conclusion for Zheng, who was outplayed for the first half of the first set and put herself in position to win both the second and third sets.
The 22-year-old Zheng was up a set and 3-1 then led 5-3 in the decider, but Gauff refused to yield as the Australian Open finalist’s quest to become the first Asian champion in WTA Finals history came up slightly short.
“I want to say thanks to everyone who comes tonight to enjoy this tennis match,” said Zheng, who earned a runner-up check of $2.305 million. “Thanks to Saudi Tennis Federation for creating such a great tournament.”
A rivalry that dates back to their junior days when the pair met in the Orange Bowl final resumed in Riyadh as the youngest WTA Finals title match since 2004 when Maria Sharapova beat Serena Williams, who strained an abdominal muscle in the match.
Throughout the tournament, Gauff has hit her forehand with accuracy and ambition.
Firing a forehand down the line helped Gauff gain double break point in the fifth game. In a grueling game of nearly 10 minutes, Zheng stood tall rallying from 15-40 down then saving a third break point in the game. That determined stand gave Zheng a 3-2 lead after 30 minutes.
Driving the ball down the middle trying to jam up Gauff’s elaborate takeback on the forehand side, Zheng earned her first break point in the sixth game. Gauff saved it to level after six games.
The WTA ace leader, Zheng was tested on each of her opening service games and could not find an ace midway through the opening set.
The seventh seed survived another lengthy game holding for 4-3.
All those stress tests strengthened Zheng, who was hitting high topspin down the middle. Zheng rattled out a series of errors to earn triple break point.
Gauff sailed a double fault—her second of the set—capping a horrid game that saw her gift-wrap the break and a 5-3 lead to Zheng.
The Olympic gold-medal champion showed her mettle fending off a break point in the ninth game. Gauff’s normally rock-solid backhand betrayed her in the final two games as Zheng served out the 56-minute opener.
Though Gauff gained break points in three of her opponent’s six service games, Zheng played proactive tennis on pivotal points. Zheng saved all five break points she faced in the set, including a courageous kick second serve in the final game to serve out the set.
The third-ranked Gauff is a bit quicker around the court, but Zheng is exceptional hitting the running strike on the stretch. Zheng hit a series of tremendous counterstrikes coaxing backhand errors in breaking to start the second set.
Thumping her first ace of the final down the T, Zheng confirmed the break for a 2-0 lead after one hour, 11 minutes.
Spinning her wheels in a five-game slide, Gauff desperately needed to hold.
In an energized response, Gauff ran down a dropper and ripped a backhand winner then whipped an ace snapping that losing streak for 1-2.
Rapping a series of deep returns, Gauff applied pressure in the sixth game. Attacking, Gauff blocked a backhand volley for triple break point then broke with a flashy forehand drive volley to level the set 3-all.
Rallying from a set and a break down, Gauff reeled off four games in a row breaking for 5-3. Gauff served for the set and held a couple of set points, but Zheng denied both set points and broke back in the ninth game.
Some fans were waving American flags as a fired-up Gauff bolted a backhand pass down the line. That strike helped her break to snatch the second set. Gauff committed just nine unforced errors in the second set—eight fewer than she hit in the opening set.
Though Gauff dug out of a triple break point hole to start the final set, Zheng battered out a fourth break point. This time, Gauff double faulted away the break to open the decider.
In a tense final set, break point chances popped in several games. Zheng locked down behind the baseline winning eight of 10 break points as she surged ahead 5-3.
Bidding to become the first woman to win the WTA Finals in her debut since Ash Barty in 2019, Zheng served for the championship at 5-4.
A gritty Gauff was not done breaking back at 30 then saving a break point of her own as she edged ahead 6-5.
Zheng saved the first championship point cracking a crosscourt forehand winner.
On the second championship point, Gauff lured the Chinese forward and had a good look at the pass but bumped a backhand into the top of the tape.
A brave Zheng punctured the pressure erasing both championship points to force the tiebreaker after two hours, 57 minutes.
Elevating her level in the tiebreaker, Gauff charged through six straight points. Gauff rattled Zheng’s racquet with a body serve for 5-0 then drew a wild forehand for a fistful of championship points at 6-0.
A defiant Zheng fought off two more championship points for 2-6.
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On her fifth championship point, Gauff raced up to a net cord shot and shoveled a forehand into the corner to close a pulsating three hour, four-minute triumph.
Defeating reigning Grand Slam champions Sabalenka and Swiatek and Olympic gold-medal champion Zheng in the same week should infuse Gauff with confidence for the 2025 season.
This victory vaults Gauff into Grand Slam company as she's the fourth American to win the WTA Finals before celebrating her 21st birthday joining Chrissie Evert, Tracy Austin and Serena Williams in that elite group.