Coco Gauff Wins WTA Finals and Record $4.8M in Prize Money

In the WTA Finals in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Coco Gauff defeated Zheng Qinwen 3-6, 6-4, 7-6 on Saturday. For winning the title, the 20-year-old American received $4.805 million in prize money. It surpasses Ashleigh Barty's $4.42 million from the 2019 WTA Finals in Shenzhen, China, and is the largest payout ever for a women's tennis event. Zheng won $2.305 million as runner-up.

Gauff fought back to win the third-set tiebreaker after falling behind 5-3 in the third set. She has now won three tournaments this year, bringing her total prize money for 2024 to $9.35 million. Zheng of China was trying to make history by becoming the first Asian player to win the WTA Finals.

“It’s my first time here in Saudi Arabia, and I’ve had a great time,” Gauff said in her post-match interview. “Much more fun than I thought it was going to be.”

At 20 years old, she is the youngest player to win the tournament since Maria Sharapova exactly two decades ago, and the youngest American since Serena Williams in 2001.

In progressing to Saturday's showpiece in Riyadh, Gauff had become the youngest player to reach the championship match at the WTA Finals since Caroline Wozniacki in 2010.

Gauff wins WTA Finals after epic battle with Zheng

En route to the final, she had defeated Aryna Sabalenka and Iga Swiatek, the world's top and second seeds, respectively, and put a lot of pressure on her opponent early on against Zheng.

In their second meeting, Zheng, 22, had to save four breakpoints, including three in an exciting fifth game, after Gauff had won their first in straight sets in Rome earlier this year.

However, it was the Chinese seventh seed who received the crucial break in the first set. Gauff's double fault following a hat-trick of unforced errors gave Zheng the edge, and she used it to seal the set as Gauff smashed a backhand into the net.

One of Zheng's best tools is her serve, but she found it difficult to display it against Gauff. After breaking Gauff once more, she received her first of just four aces at the beginning of the second set.

In a brilliant return game, the American regained parity with renewed vigor, and the two then traded breaks once more. However, the match went to a decider after the unfazed Gauff broke Zheng's serve for the third straight game.

Although it was only temporary, Gauff saved three break points at the beginning of the third set before giving up when Zheng regained control of her serve. Gauff soon broke back, her fine play at the net rewarded as Zheng sent a forehand long, before securing another love hold.

Zheng then won three successive games, dropping just four points along the way, and looked to be sauntering towards the win. But a game of errors when serving for the match brought Gauff back into contention.

The American's own three-game run began at that point, but it was cut short when Zheng saved two championship points to force a tie-break, which Gauff completely dominated. She didn't make it to a singles Grand Slam final this year, and the win is her third title. 

This season Gauff has reached the last four at the Australian Open and French Open tournaments, won the China Open in Beijing and made the semifinals in Wuhan.

Cover Credits - WTA