Coco Gauff dominates Ons Jabeur in flawless debut at WTA Finals
Coco Gauff dominates Ons Jabeur in a sensational start to WTA Finals, triumphing 6-0, 6-1 in under an hour
In her first match of this year's WTA Finals, Coco Gauff easily defeated the world No. 7 Ons Jabeur, winning 6-0, 6-1 in less than an hour. Gauff dominated the match, taking the first seven games, before a rain delay in Cancun, Mexico temporarily interrupted the game.
After returning to court, Jabeur finally won a game, but the respite was short-lived as third-seed Gauff raced to a straight-sets victory.
Caroline Garcia celebrates winning the WTA Finals in 2022.
Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images North America/Getty Images
Gauff secured her 50th victory of the season, marking a significant milestone. However, it was her initial triumph at the prestigious end-of-year finals, as opposed to her unfortunate run of defeats in last year's tournament.
Gauff expressed her feeling of uneasiness throughout the match against Jabeur, despite her outward appearance. "I'm pleased to have achieved a victory in this event," she told reporters.
At the WTA Finals, the top eight female players of the year compete for the prestigious Billie Jean King Trophy. These players are divided into two round-robin groups, and the top two from each group will advance to the semifinals.
Gauff, the current holder of the US Open title, will go head-to-head against Iga ÅwiÄ tek in her upcoming group stage encounter.
Meanwhile, ÅwiÄ tek, the champion of the French Open, kicked off her WTA Finals campaign triumphantly by staging a remarkable comeback from a 5-2 deficit in the initial set. She eventually defeated Markéta VondrouÅ¡ová, the reigning Wimbledon champion, with a scoreline of 7-6 (7-3) 6-0.
Gauff was congratulated by Ons Jabeur after their one-sided match.
Playing her first tournament since parting ways with coach Pere Riba, Gauff has become the first teenager since Caroline Wozniacki in 2009 to win 50 matches in a single season.
Gauff expressed her desire to have him present, but acknowledged that unforeseen circumstances arise in life. She emphasized that there are no negative feelings from their side regarding the situation with her former coach. Gauff added that sometimes people perceive the issue as significant, but in reality, it simply did not work out, and she still holds the belief that he is a wonderful person.
"Undoubtedly, he had a tremendous impact on both me personally and my game. Therefore, I have no doubt that he will achieve great success in his next endeavor."
Despite significant changes in her team, the young player remains a strong contender to clinch her maiden WTA Finals championship this month.
Jabeur, a finalist at this year's Wimbledon, expressed her admiration for Gauff's exceptional skill and consistent performance.
"She showcased remarkable play," Jabeur shared with the media following the match. "Her match was tactically sound, with few errors on her part. Unfortunately, I made many mistakes in my own performance."
