Coco Gauff takes confidence from Wuhan triumph ahead of WTA Finals title defence
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Coco Gauff poses with the trophy after winning the final against Jessica Pegula.
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WUHAN – Coco Gauff said her victory at the Wuhan Open on Oct 12 had boosted her confidence after a disappointing run of results, as the American prepares to defend her title at the season-ending WTA Finals in Riyadh in November.
World No. 3 Gauff defeated compatriot Jessica Pegula 6-4, 7-5 in the final of the WTA 1000 event to clinch her 11th career WTA singles title.
It was the 21-year-old’s first title since winning the French Open in June and it came after a series of uninspired performances which included a fourth-round defeat by Naomi Osaka at the US Open.
“This definitely gives me a lot more confidence going into the WTA Finals, after the way the mid-part of the season went for me, especially in New York,” Gauff told WTA media.
“It gives me a lot of confidence to try to defend that title. Obviously, winning it last year, I know how tough it is to do, so I’m just going to take it match by match and hopefully I can end up with the trophy.”
Gauff, who did not drop a set in Wuhan, has won all nine of her finals on hard courts.
“I definitely think it’s the surface I’m most true to,” the two-time Grand Slam winner, who won her maiden Slam at the 2023 US Open, added.
“Growing up, I liked the sureness of bounces and the sureness of knowing when I’m going to stop and when I’m going to go. A lot of people think (my best surface) is clay. I don’t know my favourite surface. I feel like it’s still going to be hard court for me.”
On Oct 12, Gauff became the first woman in a decade to win nine consecutive hard-court finals, a feat last achieved by Serena Williams, who won 12 between 2013 and 2015.
“I didn’t know that was a stat, so I’ll try not to think about it if I’m in another hard-court final to keep that record going,” she said.
Like Gauff, Pegula was also looking ahead to the WTA Finals and not dwelling on defeat.
She said on court: “I just want to say congrats to Coco and her team. Amazing job this week, guys. You played some great tennis this week. Congrats and all the best.
“I know we will see each other soon at the WTA Finals. It was an honour to play you as a friend and a fellow American. That was a lot of fun to be able to play and all the best.” REUTERS
