Coco Gauff would possibly win the 2024 WTA Finals regardless of being removed from favored and having a nasty monitor document 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 document in opposition to 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 document, 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 received two matches within the round-robin stage, reaching the semifinals, simply to be destroyed by doubles associate Pegula, 6-2, 6-1.
This yr, she’s going to enter the event once more because the third highest-ranked participant, and regardless of the chances being in opposition to her, Gauff would possibly win the event for 3 causes.
Reported court docket pace in Riyadh
The players are already in Riyadh; most have held a apply session in Saudi Arabia. In response to the studies, the courts on the occasion play quick, which ought to profit Gauff.
She is the most effective mover on the WTA Tour, and her largest triumphs got here at tournaments with quick, exhausting courts — the Cincinnati Open final yr and the U.S. Open.
With quick courts enjoying into her strengths, the 20-year-old may need a ok benefit to beat even her horrible 1-11 document in opposition to Iga Swiatek (her solely win in opposition to Swiatek got here in Cincinnati.)
Kind coming into the event
Not many gamers had higher type coming into the event 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 not too long ago struggled with tennis, retiring from her Ningbo Open match.
Gauff, then again, sensationally received the China Open in Beijing. On the Wuhan Open, she reached the semifinal earlier than shedding to Sabalenka in a match she may have received. She received 9 out of her final 10 matches, with solely Sabalenka most likely in higher type.
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 modifications Daly plans to make to her sport, however enhancements to her serve had 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 won’t be the highest favourite or seed, however she wasn’t even ultimately yr’s U.S. Open but received. The identical may occur on the WTA Finals in Riyadh.
