Coco Gauff kicked off her WTA Finals campaign against Jessica Pegula with a comprehensive straight sets win.
The 20-year-old displayed her powerful game, landing 16 winners against Jessica Pegula – a player who she has historically struggled against.
Prior to this match, Coco Gauff held a tough 1-4 record against Pegula, including a decisive loss in last year’s WTA Finals semi-finals.
This time, however, the world number three flipped the script, breaking Pegula’s serve five times to claim a confident victory, winning 6-3, 6-2 in just 75 minutes to take an early lead in her group.
Gauff next faces Iga Swiatek, who she has only beaten once in their 12 encounters.
Laura Robson heaps praise on resilient Coco Gauff
Former British number one Laura Robson recently commended Gauff for her resilience, especially given the mental challenges she has overcome this season.
The American’s defeat to compatriot Emma Navarro at the US Open, where she hit 19 double faults, highlighted her struggles with confidence under pressure.
The errors resurfaced at the Wuhan Open, where Gauff set a 2024 WTA record with 21 double faults in her semi-final loss to Aryna Sabalenka.
Despite these setbacks, Gauff’s ability to quickly rebound and adapt has been remarkable.
Robson pointed out Gauff’s impressive mental reset, saying on the Sky Sports Tennis podcast: “On the court she just couldn’t get herself out of her own head [at the US Open]. You could tell she was overthinking the serve and overthinking the forehand. If you go on court feeling that way, it’s definitely not going to get any better in front of 22,000 people on Arthur Ashe.
“But just her ability to reset every time impresses me so much. The fact she can have that happen and then a couple of weeks later in Beijing win the tournament with hardly any expectations but still the same tennis, it’s not like you can change anything in that space of time.
“It was kind of the same last year, where she just turns it around so quickly and that is all to do with mindset.”
- READ MORE: Coco Gauff says what she has ‘learned’ about Jessica Pegula after beating her at the WTA Finals
Coco Gauff can win the WTA finals
Gauff has a real shot at winning the WTA Finals this year, especially with the pressure eased by her fresh coaching setup.
Unlike some of her top competitors, Gauff isn’t part of the tense race for the world number one ranking, which allows her to focus solely on her game.
Though she has a dreadful record against Swiatek, losing 11 times, she can approach this tournament more freely, particularly since the Pole has played just once since the US Open and undergone coaching changes herself.
Even in her semi-final against Sabalenka at Wuhan, where she hit 21 double faults, Gauff still managed to take a set and came close to a win.
With her mindset clear and her confidence high, Gauff looks ready to contend for the title.
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