Coco Gauff admits she is thrilled to have already secured a WTA Finals ticket and that she can give herself some rest time ahead of the prestigious season-ending tournament.
After failing to make a deep run at the US Open and seeing her campaign end in the round-of-16, Gauff bounced back impressively at two WTA 1000 events in Asia. Firstly, the American tennis star made the semifinal in Beijing before lifting her first Wuhan title. As a reward - already during Beijing - the 21-year-old became the third player to book a place in Riyadh.
When this year's WTA Finals take place between November 01-08, Gauff will make her fourth consecutive appearance at the event. The American didn't make it past the WTA Finals group stage in 2022, but reached the semifinal the following year. Last year - in what marked the WTA Finals' inaugural edition in Riyadh - she made it all the way and captured her first title at the event.
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Gauff: Not having to play other tournaments feels great
"For me, just qualifying for the finals, especially a bit early I consider this early, not having to play the other tournaments, just feels great," the world No. 3 told Arab News.
"This is a prestigious tournament, one that I always look forward to playing and being a part of. I remember I was so tired going into that tournament and I had never played that long into the season, and as grueling as a season before; and then like playing singles and doubles too. When I lost my first match, I was like, 'OK, its fine.' I just had the goal to just win one match and it just didnt happen. And then honestly, right after that, I was like, well, to win this tournament, I have to do so much.
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Aryna Sabalenka and Iga Swiatek were the first two players to qualify for the WTA Finals. Since then, Gauff, Amanda Anisimova, Madison Keys and Jessica Pegula have done the same, while the remaining two spots will go to someone from the group consisting of Mirra Andreeva, Jasmine Paolini and Elena Rybakina.
