Coco Gauff returned to winning form with a commanding performance at the Wuhan Open, claiming her third WTA 1000 title and first since her Roland Garros victory in June. Dropping just 25 games across five matches, Gauff defeated fellow American Jessica Pegula 6–4, 7–5 in the final, showcasing her aggressive baseline play and mental resilience. The win marked her 11th career singles title and reestablished her as a top contender heading into the season finale.
Confidence Ahead of Riyadh
The Wuhan victory comes at a crucial time for Gauff, who experienced a dip in form during the mid-season, including a fourth-round exit at the US Open. Speaking to WTA.com, she shared her renewed optimism. “This definitely gives me a lot more confidence going into the WTA Finals, after the way the mid-part of the season went for me, especially in New York,” Gauff said. “It gives me a lot of confidence to try to defend that title. Obviously, winning it last year, I know how tough it is to do, so I’m just going to take it match by match and hopefully I can end up with the trophy.”
American Contenders in the Field
The WTA Finals, scheduled for November 1–8 in Riyadh, will feature four American players: Gauff, Amanda Anisimova (China Open champion), Jessica Pegula, and Madison Keys (Australian Open champion). Gauff, currently ranked No. 3 in the world, leads Anisimova by 1,949 points in the race for the American year-end No. 1 spot.
Defending the Crown
Last year, Gauff captured the WTA Finals title by defeating Olympic gold medalist Zheng Qinwen in a dramatic three-set final. Her path to the trophy included wins over world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka and No. 2 Iga Swiatek, culminating in a record-setting champion’s check of $4.805 million. With her Wuhan performance reaffirming her form, Gauff enters Riyadh with renewed belief and a clear goal: to defend her crown against the world’s best.
Cori Gauff in 2025
Ranked world no.3, the American played her last match on the 12th of October when she overcame world no.5 Jessica Pegula 6-4 7-5 in the final in Wuhan to win her 12th career title.
At the moment, during this season the American achieved an overall 47-14 record. Gauff has won 3 titles in 2025 in Australia, French Open and Wuhan. The American was the finalist in Madrid and Rome.