Coco Gauff made history by becoming the youngest player in two decades to win the WTA Finals, defeating Olympic champion Qinwen Zheng in an exhilarating season-ending battle.
In a match filled with drama, Gauff, who was just two points away from elimination, mounted a stunning comeback to claim a 3-6, 6-4, 7-6 (7-2) victory. The thrilling encounter, hailed as one of the year’s best, showcased Gauff's incredible resilience and mental toughness, as she edged out Zheng to secure the prestigious title.
WTA Finals Prize Money Breakdown
Coco Gauff’s incredible run to the final in Riyadh earned her $3,535,000 in prize money. This included a $335,000 participation fee, $700,000 for her two round-robin victories over Iga Świątek and Jessica Pegula, and $2,500,000 for reaching the championship match.
Qinwen Zheng also made a good payday, taking home $2,305,000. This included a $335,000 participation fee, $700,000 for her two group-stage wins over Elena Rybakina and Jasmine Paolini, and $1,270,000 for advancing to the semifinals and winning the title.
Semifinalists Aryna Sabalenka and Barbora Krejcikova also earned well, each walking away with $1,035,000. Sabalenka won two of her round-robin matches, beating Paolini and Zheng, but lost to Rybakina and Gauff in the semis. Krejcikova lost one match to Świątek in the group stage and was knocked out by Zheng in the semifinals.
Świątek, Paolini, and Rybakina were all eliminated in the round-robin stage. Świątek earned $1,035,000, while Rybakina and Paolini each took home $685,000.
Despite losing both her round-robin matches and pulling out of the tournament due to a knee injury, Jessica Pegula earned $335,000. Her spot in the final group match against Świątek was filled by Daria Kasatkina, who lost but still earned $140,000.
Gauff expressed her gratitude after the win: “Firstly I want to congratulate Qinwen on a sensational season and your team too who are very nice, it’s been a great competition. I want to thank the Saudi federation for putting on a great tournament. It’s my first time in Saudi Arabia, and I’ve had more fun than I imagined, and thanks for coming to watch a women’s tennis competition. I want to thank everyone who put this together, and my team. It’s been a long season, but I want to say thank you, it’s been so much fun, and my family, and the man above for allowing me to be here".
Gauff’s victory marked the first time since Serena Williams' 2014 win that an American has triumphed at the WTA Finals, and she became the youngest champion since Maria Sharapova in 2004. At 20 years old, Gauff fought back from a 2-0 and 5-3 deficit in the final set, and was two points away from defeat at one point. Her win in Riyadh also set a new record for the longest final at the WTA Finals since the tournament began tracking statistics in 2008.
