Coco Gauff Clinches WTA Finals Title and Record $4.8 Million Prize Money
Coco Gauff may not have won a major in 2024, but she ended her season in spectacular fashion. The 20-year-old American, ranked No. 3 in the world, defeated China’s No. 7 Qinwen Zheng, the Olympic gold medalist, in a thrilling match that lasted 3 hours and 4 minutes, clinching the Billie Jean King Trophy and her ninth career WTA Tour singles title. This match marked the longest final at the WTA Finals since stats began being tracked in 2008.
Despite not securing a major title this year, Gauff’s victory at the WTA Finals is her biggest since winning the 2023 U.S. Open.
She walks away with an impressive $4,805,000 for her week in Riyadh, the largest payout in WTA Tour history, and has also secured the season-ending world No. 3 ranking for the second consecutive year.
“Just staying resilient, fighting for every point,” Gauff reflected in her post-match press conference. “I know I was like a couple points away from losing, but I just tried to stay in the moment, honestly, and I’m really proud of myself.”
Gauff’s journey to the title included a straight-sets victory over world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka in the semifinals. In the final against Zheng, Gauff showcased her determination by coming back from a break down in both the second and third sets, ultimately winning 3-6, 6-4, 7-6(2).
After a challenging U.S. Open and a coaching change, Gauff ended the year strong, winning 12 of her last 14 matches. Meanwhile, Zheng also finished the season on a high, boasting a 31-6 record since Wimbledon.
