RIYAD (Saudi Arabia): American tennis sensation Coco Gauff expressed her happiness at securing her maiden Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) Finals title on Saturday, and said that she is grateful to experience moments like this which makes her hard work worth it.
The 20-year-old Gauff ended the season on a high note, defeating Olympic champion Zheng Qinwen 3-6, 6-4, 7-6 to bag her maiden WTA finals title. She became the youngest player since Maria Sharapova in 2004 to win the season-ending championship title.
Taking to Instagram on Sunday, Gauff wrote, “tyler tried to tell ya’ll. In all seriousness, I’m so grateful for all the support the last few weeks. Getting to win the last tournament of the season and it also being my second biggest title of my career so far is insane. Wow WTA FINALS CHAMPION. All glory to God truthfully. I’m eternally grateful for the life I get to live and to have moments like this makes all of the hours/sacrifice I put into this worth it. time to rest for a little bit but then it’s back to grind for next years szn.”
Zheng was off to nervous start in the match, with Gauff coming close to breaking the Chinese star in the opening game of the contest. However, the Olympic champion found some rhythm and Gauff made Zheng work hard to hold the serve.
The American had another chance to take control of the first set, but Zheng saved three break points. The first set swung in Zheng’s favour as she managed to break Gauff in the eighth game before holding serve in the next to go 6-3 up to win the set.
Gauff would have rued the missed opportunities, squandering five break points which ultimately gave Zheng an early edge.
Zheng further strengthened her grip on the match, breaking Gauff in the first game of the second set, edging her closer to another career-defying victory. But the 2023 US Open champion made a comenback, starting with a perfect hold in the fifth game before finally converting a break in the next to make it 4-4. (ANI)