WTA Finals: Gauff beats Zheng to clinch title, becomes youngest champion since Sharapova

Coco Gauff beat China’s Zheng Qinwen 3-6, 6-4, 7-6(2) in a three-hour battle on Saturday to become the youngest player to win the WTA Finals since Maria Sharapova in 2004 and the first American champion since Serena Williams 10 years ago.

The 20-year-old Gauff stormed to a 6-0 lead in the final set tiebreak before easing to victory, clinching the year-end world number three ranking for the second straight time.

It was the longest showpiece match at the WTA Finals since 2008 when times were first recorded.

Olympic gold medallist Zheng, seeded seventh and making her WTA Finals debut, won the first set in just under an hour, saving all five break points she faced to keep Gauff at bay.

READ MORE | Gauff defeats Sabalenka in semis

The American came back from 3-1 down to take the second set and, although she failed to convert two match points at 6-5 in the final set, the former U.S. Open Champion dominated the tiebreak, closing out the match in style.

A resilient Gauff had recovered from a break down in the second set and was twice behind a break in the third before she capitalised on Zheng’s errors after the Chinese player took a 2-0 lead, gradually turning the tide in her favour.

The 22-year-old Zheng, serving for the match at 5-4, was undone by four unforced errors, allowing Gauff to break back.

“It was a really great match. Qinwen played some unbelievable tennis,” third seed Gauff said. “I was just trying my best to hang in there and I never gave up.

“I was just telling myself, ‘it’s another point, another chance’. I’ve been in situations like this in the past and have been able to turn it around … and was able to do it again today.”

YOUNGEST PLAYER

En route to the victory, Gauff became the youngest player in 18 years to defeat both the world number one and number two at a tournament, since Russian Sharapova at the 2006 U.S. Open.

Gauff lost to Barbora Krejcikova but defeated fellow American Jessica Pegula and defending champion and world number two Iga Swiatek to finish 2-1 in the Orange Group. She then stunned world number one Aryna Sabalenka in the semis.

Gauff has this season reached the last four at the Australian Open and French Open tournaments, won the China Open in Beijing and made the semifinals in Wuhan.

After losing her opening match to Sabalenka at the WTA Finals, Zheng beat fifth seed Elena Rybakina and fourth-seeded Jasmine Paolini to finish second in the purple group before getting past Wimbledon champion Krejcikova in the semis.

READ MORE | Zheng beats Krejcikova to reach WTA Finals showpiece

Gauff also won her only previous match with Zheng in May, an Italian Open quarterfinal victory in Rome.

Zheng became only the second Chinese player to reach the WTA Finals decider, after Li Na in 2013.

“I want to say thanks to everyone who came tonight. It was a long week. Thanks to all the staff and my team because you guys try to keep me healthy,” Zheng said.

“I’ve been through a lot of matches this year, but I’m still on court fighting. Thanks to you. I wouldn’t be here without you. Congrats to the champion. It’s your first title here. I wish you have a great future.”