Coco Gauff Caps 2024 Season with WTA Finals Victory and $4.8 Million Prize

Coco Gauff has wrapped up an eventful 2024 by securing the WTA Finals title, along with a $4.8 million prize, in a year marked by significant highs and lows. Known for her occasional responses to online commentary, Gauff shared her thoughts on social media after the victory, posting, "lol safe to say I beat the bad season allegations."

Gauff's triumph came after overcoming the top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka and No. 2 Iga Swiatek in earlier matches held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The final challenge was Olympic gold medalist Zheng Qinwen, whom Gauff defeated in a thrilling three-set match: 3-6, 6-4, 7-6 (2). This victory boosted Gauff's season record to 54-17, bringing her total title count to three for the year.

Reflecting on her season in an interview with The Associated Press, the 20-year-old said, "There's been a lot of ups and downs. At moments, it felt great. At other moments, it felt awful. Basically, a typical year on tour." Gauff highlighted her most challenging moment as the loss in the fourth round of the U.S. Open to Emma Navarro, where she double-faulted 19 times. "The worst? Definitely my U.S. Open loss," she remarked, noting the disappointment as the defending champion.

Following the defeat, Gauff decided to make changes to her coaching team. She parted ways with Brad Gilbert and brought in Matt Daly to join her existing coach, Jean-Christophe "JC" Faurel. This shift in strategy seemed to pay off, as Gauff closed her season with a strong 13-2 run, including two titles and a semifinal finish.

Gauff noted, "The key is when you reach a low, the only way you can go is up." She emphasized her willingness to learn from both wins and losses while continuing to compete in tournaments instead of taking extended breaks to focus solely on practice.

Her performance at the WTA Finals demonstrated marked improvement in her serve. During the event, Gauff averaged 4.6 double-faults per match, a significant reduction compared to her U.S. Open struggles. In the final against Zheng, Gauff recorded more aces (five) than double-faults (four), showcasing a higher first-serve percentage (64% compared to Zheng's 62%) and a better winning rate on first-serve points (70% against Zheng's 62%).

The final match lasted 3 hours and 4 minutes, making it the longest championship match at the WTA Finals since record-keeping began in 2008. It was also the first time the title was decided by a third-set tiebreaker. "When you play this type of match," Zheng commented afterward, "it's not about tennis, it's just about choices on court."

Gauff's victory made her the youngest player to defeat both the No. 1 and No. 2 ranked players at the same tournament since Maria Sharapova's feat at the 2006 U.S. Open. Additionally, she became the youngest winner of the WTA Finals since Sharapova in 2004.

Reflecting on her win, Gauff expressed her satisfaction with competing against the sport's elite, stating, "Playing the best of the best makes me feel confident in my game."