Coco Gauff is one win away from WTA Finals glory.
The 20-year-old upset the world number 1 Aryna Sabalenka in the semifinals of the season-ending tournament in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, to reach the championship match.
3
Gauff defeated world number 1 Sabalenka in the semi-finals of the WTA FinalsCredit: Getty
She twice fought back from a break down to take the opening set in a tie-break, before powering through the second for a 7-6 (7-4), 6-3 win.
With that sensational victory Great become the third player since 2010 to score wins over both world No. 1 and No. 2 at the WTA Finals, after beating Iga Swiatek in the group stage.
Now she has the chance to do something that no one else has done in the last twenty years.
Gauff is one win away from becoming the youngest WTA Finals champion since then Maria Sharapova‘s title run in 2004.
She is also the youngest player to reach the championship match since Caroline Wozniacki in 2010, and the youngest to defeat a No. 1 star since Sharapova defeated Lindsay Davenport in 2004.
The American will face Olympic champion Zheng Qinwen for the title on Saturday, November 9.
Zheng advanced to the final after a defeat Wimbledon champion Barbora Krejcikova 6-3, 7-5 in their last four match.
Not only is the WTA Finals title at stake, but also a record amount of prize money.
Saturday’s winner will take home a whopping $4,805,000 – the largest prize money check in the history of women’s professional tennis.
By reaching the final after a 2-1 win in round-robin play, both Gauff and Zheng have each earned $2,305,000 in prize money, according to the official WTA Finals website.
3
Sabalenka congratulated Gauff on her victory in RiyadhCredit: Getty 
3
Zheng, meanwhile, defeated Wimbledon champion Krejcikova in her semi-finalCredit: Getty
The winner will also take home an additional $2.5 million, bringing the champion’s total earnings to $4.8 million.
It will undoubtedly be an exciting match between Gauff, who is ranked third in the world, and Zheng, who is ranked seventh.
The pair only faced each other once earlier this year, on clay during the Internazionali BNL d’Italia.
Gauff won that match 7-6, 6-1 and believes she can come out on top in Riyadh if she plays confident tennis.
“Zheng is also playing great tennis, but I just have to play confidently, that will help me win,” she said after her semi-final victory against Sabalenka.
“I’m not nervous. Being here is a reward for the season I’ve had.”
Leave a Reply