Coco Gauff insists she does not want to think too much about the possibility of becoming the first player since Serena Williams to win back-to-back WTA Finals titles as the world No. 3 wants to take it "one match at a time" in Riyadh.
Last year, Gauff pulled off some heroics to edge out Zheng Qinwen 3-6 6-4 7-6 (2) and win the WTA Finals' inaugural edition in Riyadh. If the American tennis star repeats as the champion at the prestigious season-ending tournament, she will become the first player to do so since her idol Williams.
"I'm not thinking about that. I really just want to focus on my first match ahead and take it one match at a time. I think that's what I did last year. Going to try to keep that mindset," the top-ranked American female tennis player said when asked about the prospect of becoming the first player since Williams in 2014 to win back-to-back WTA Finals titles.
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How Gauff's early WTA Finals path looks?
Gauff was placed in Stefanie Graf Group alongside Aryna Sabalenka, Jessica Pegula and Jasmine Paolini. In her opening match, the reigning French Open champion will take on fellow American Pegula. Depending on the outcome of the opening matches, she will then take on either Sabalenka or Paolini in her second clash.
Between 2012 and 2014, Williams won three consecutive WTA Finals titles. Since then, the season-ending tournament has had a list of different champions.
Gauff won the WTA 1000 tournament in Wuhan in mid-October and she shouldn't be lacking any confidence at the start of her Riyadh title defense.
