Coco Gauff would possibly win the 2024 WTA Finals regardless of being removed from favored and having a nasty observe 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 towards her rivals would possibly recommend that profitable 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 he or she additionally misplaced all three of her doubles matches with Jessica Pegula.
Final 12 months, 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 associate Pegula, 6-2, 6-1.
This 12 months, she is going to enter the event once more because the third highest-ranked participant, and regardless of the chances being towards her, Gauff would possibly win the event for 3 causes.
Reported court docket velocity in Riyadh
The players are already in Riyadh; most have held a follow session in Saudi Arabia. In response to the stories, the courts on the occasion play quick, which ought to profit Gauff.
She is the perfect mover on the WTA Tour, and her largest triumphs got here at tournaments with quick, arduous courts — the Cincinnati Open final 12 months 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 document towards Iga Swiatek (her solely win towards 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 mentioned 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, alternatively, 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 in all probability 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 talking to reporters in China, she refused to element what adjustments 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 12 months, a brand new coach seemingly did wonders for Gauff, who would possibly proceed on the profitable wave in Riyadh.
She won’t be the highest favourite or seed, however she wasn’t even eventually 12 months’s U.S. Open but gained. The identical may occur on the WTA Finals in Riyadh.