Coco Gauff, the world’s third-ranked tennis player, made a resounding statement in her opening match at the WTA Finals in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. She defeated fellow American Jessica Pegula in straight sets, 6-3, 6-2, in an all-American round-robin clash.
This victory marked several significant milestones for Gauff. Firstly, it snapped Pegula’s impressive 14-match winning streak against American opponents. Pegula had not lost to a compatriot since falling to Madison Keys at the 2022 US Open.
Secondly, it was Gauff’s biggest win of the year. Her victory over the No. 6-ranked Pegula surpassed her previous best win over No. 6 Marketa Vondrousova at last year’s WTA Finals.
Most notably, it was Gauff’s 20th career Top 10 win, a remarkable achievement for a player who is still only 20 years old. She recorded her first Top 10 win as a 15-year-old in 2019, defeating No. 8 Kiki Bertens en route to the title in Linz.
Gauff’s Top 10 wins have come against some of the biggest names in women’s tennis, including Naomi Osaka, Aryna Sabalenka, Ashleigh Barty, Paula Badosa, Karolina Pliskova, Maria Sakkari, Iga Swiatek, Karolina Muchova, Ons Jabeur, and Vondrousova.
This victory is a testament to Gauff’s exceptional talent and her ability to perform at the highest level. She is one of the most promising young players in the world and is poised to achieve even greater success in the years to come.
