November 09, (THEWILL) – Coco Gauff triumphed at the WTA Finals in Riyadh, becoming the youngest champion in two decades. The 20-year-old American tennis star prevailed against China’s Zheng Qinwen in a gripping three-hour contest, with final scores of 3-6 6-4 7-6.
The victory earned Gauff £4,805,000, marking the highest prize money awarded at any professional tennis tournament. Yet, the path to victory required remarkable determination from Gauff, who overcame significant deficits throughout the match.
After falling behind 3-6 1-3, she mounted an impressive comeback, demonstrating exceptional physical endurance. Her tournament run included victories over world number one Aryna Sabalenka and world number two Iga Swiatek.
Zheng Qinwen, 22, made history as only the second Asian competitor to reach the WTA Finals championship match since Li Na in 2013. Her outstanding 2024 season, which includes winning 31 of her last 37 matches, will propel her to a career-best world ranking of number five when the updated standings are released on Monday.
The 2024 WTA Finals in Riyadh demonstrated the rising influence of youth in professional tennis, with both singles finalists under 23 years old. This championship match was the youngest final since Maria Sharapova faced Serena Williams in 2004, representing a significant milestone in the sport’s evolution.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
