Coco Gauff beat China’s Zheng Qinwen 3-6 6-4 7-6(2) in a three-hour battle on Saturday to turn into the youngest participant to win the WTA Finals since Maria Sharapova in 2004 and the primary American champion since Serena Williams 10 years in the past.
The 20-year-old Gauff stormed to a 6-0 lead within the ultimate set tiebreak earlier than easing to victory, clinching the year-end world quantity three rating for the second straight time.
It was the longest showpiece match on the WTA Finals since 2008 when instances have been first recorded.
Olympic gold medallist Zheng, seeded seventh and making her WTA Finals debut, received the primary set in just below an hour, saving all 5 break factors she confronted to maintain Gauff at bay.
READ MORE | Gauff defeats Sabalenka in semis
The American got here again from 3-1 right down to take the second set and, though she didn’t convert two match factors at 6-5 within the ultimate set, the previous U.S. Open Champion dominated the tiebreak, closing out the match in model.
A resilient Gauff had recovered from a break down within the second set and was twice behind a break within the third earlier than she capitalised on Zheng’s errors after the Chinese language participant took a 2-0 lead, regularly turning the tide in her favour.
The 22-year-old Zheng, serving for the match at 5-4, was undone by 4 unforced errors, permitting Gauff to interrupt again.
“It was a very nice match. Qinwen performed some unbelievable tennis,” third seed Gauff mentioned. “I used to be simply attempting my greatest to hold in there and I by no means gave up.
“I used to be simply telling myself, ‘it’s one other level, one other likelihood’. I’ve been in conditions like this up to now and have been in a position to flip it round … and was in a position to do it once more at present.”
YOUNGEST PLAYER
En path to the victory, Gauff grew to become the youngest participant in 18 years to defeat each the world primary and quantity two at a event, since Russian Sharapova on the 2006 U.S. Open.
Gauff misplaced to Barbora Krejcikova however defeated fellow American Jessica Pegula and defending champion and world quantity two Iga Swiatek to complete 2-1 within the Orange Group. She then surprised world primary Aryna Sabalenka within the semis.
Gauff has this season reached the final 4 on the Australian Open and French Open tournaments, received the China Open in Beijing and made the semifinals in Wuhan.
After shedding her opening match to Sabalenka on the WTA Finals, Zheng beat fifth seed Elena Rybakina and fourth-seeded Jasmine Paolini to complete second within the purple group earlier than getting previous Wimbledon champion Krejcikova within the semis.
READ MORE | Zheng beats Krejcikova to succeed in WTA Finals showpiece
Gauff additionally received her solely earlier match with Zheng in Might, an Italian Open quarterfinal victory in Rome.
Zheng grew to become solely the second Chinese language participant to succeed in the WTA Finals decider, after Li Na in 2013.
“I need to say because of everybody who got here tonight. It was an extended week. Because of all of the employees and my crew since you guys attempt to hold me wholesome,” Zheng mentioned.
“I’ve been by plenty of matches this 12 months, however I’m nonetheless on courtroom preventing. Because of you. I wouldn’t be right here with out you. Congrats to the champion. It’s your first title right here. I want you will have an ideal future.”