Coco Gauff would possibly win the 2024 WTA Finals regardless of being removed from favored and having a foul monitor file on the occasion.
The 20-year-old American will enter the 2024 WTA Finals in Riyadh as one of many highest-ranked gamers within the draw, however her file towards her rivals would possibly counsel that successful the title is unlikely.
Gauff struggled on the year-end championship earlier than. In her debut in 2022, she misplaced all three of her singles matches with a 0-6 set file, and she or he additionally misplaced all three of her doubles matches with Jessica Pegula.
Final yr, Gauff and Pegula misplaced all of their doubles matches on the occasion once more regardless of being the highest seeds, however Gauff fared a bit higher within the singles. She gained two matches within the round-robin stage, reaching the semifinals, simply to be destroyed by doubles companion Pegula, 6-2, 6-1.
This yr, she’s going to enter the match once more because the third highest-ranked participant, and regardless of the chances being towards her, Gauff would possibly win the match for 3 causes.
Reported court docket pace in Riyadh
The players are already in Riyadh; most have held a observe session in Saudi Arabia. In keeping with the stories, the courts on the occasion play quick, which ought to profit Gauff.
She is one of the best mover on the WTA Tour, and her largest triumphs got here at tournaments with quick, laborious courts — the Cincinnati Open final yr and the U.S. Open.
With quick courts taking part in into her strengths, the 20-year-old may need a adequate benefit to beat even her horrible 1-11 file towards Iga Swiatek (her solely win towards Swiatek got here in Cincinnati.)
Kind coming into the match
Not many gamers had higher kind coming into the match than Gauff. Aryna Sabalenka’s 20 wins within the final 21 matches stand out, however the identical cannot be stated about Swiatek, Elena Rybakina and Barbora Krejcikova.
Swiatek hasn’t performed for the reason that U.S. Open, and the identical applies to Rybakina. Krejcikova has just lately struggled with tennis, retiring from her Ningbo Open match.
Gauff, however, sensationally gained the China Open in Beijing. On the Wuhan Open, she reached the semifinal earlier than shedding to Sabalenka in a match she may have gained. She gained 9 out of her final 10 matches, with solely Sabalenka most likely in higher kind.
New wind in her sails
After parting ways with Brad Gilbert, Gauff began working with a brand new coach, Matt Daly. When chatting with reporters in China, she refused to element what adjustments Daly plans to make to her sport, however enhancements to her serve have been palpable already in China.
As well as, she had loads of time since her exit on the Wuhan Open to additional work on her sport, and like final yr, a brand new coach seemingly did wonders for Gauff, who would possibly proceed on the successful wave in Riyadh.
She may not be the highest favourite or seed, however she wasn’t even finally yr’s U.S. Open but gained. The identical may occur on the WTA Finals in Riyadh.
