The WTA Finals led to spectacular trend on Saturday, with Coco Gauff battling previous Zheng Qinwen in a remaining for the ages.
Gauff’s 3-6, 6-4, 7-6(2) victory over Qinwen will certainly be remembered as among the best matches of 2024, and brings an entertaining year-end championships to a detailed.
With the mud starting to settle, we have a look at the winners and losers from motion in Riyadh.
Huge Winners
Coco Gauff: Gauff battled her solution to the title, downing Iga Swiatek and Aryna Sabalenka earlier than forcing her well past Qinwen within the remaining. One of many greatest moments of her profession to date, and a chic solution to end a season that she ought to mirror on with positivity.
Zheng Qinwen: Defeat within the remaining might be painful, however Qinwen can take big encouragement from how she competed on her WTA Finals debut. She checked out dwelling in Riyadh and appears set to be a longtime drive in direction of the highest of the WTA Tour.
Barbora Krejcikova: Many questioned whether or not Krejcikova ought to have been allowed to play, however sturdy performances in all 4 singles matches – gained two, misplaced two – proved the brand new WTA rule is a good one. She finishes the season because the world No 10; be careful for her if she stays slot in 2025.
WTA Tour Information
Zheng Qinwen’s coach sends ‘60% potential’ warning after 2024 surge
Ons Jabeur sends ‘motivated’ warning as she targets ‘wonderful’ 2025
Huge Losers
Iga Swiatek: Two wins from three is just not a nasty return for Swiatek, however she turns into the primary lady since Caroline Wozniacki in 2018 to exit the group stage in her title defence. A disappointing loss to Gauff in the end price her.
Jessica Pegula: Pegula was removed from her finest in two heavy defeats after which needed to pull out of the occasion resulting from a knee situation. She is going to hope to rediscover her summer time kind in the beginning of subsequent season.
Jasmine Paolini: Paolini’s marketing campaign began brightly with victory over Elena Rybakina, however she missed a few openings in opposition to Sabalenka and was then overwhelmed closely by Qinwen. The Italian appeared to expire of fuel after a busy season in singles and doubles.
Winner…and loser?
Aryna Sabalenka: Sabalenka made it to the semi-final and likewise sealed a deserved end because the year-end No 1, but it surely’s laborious to not really feel she missed her likelihood of a maiden WTA Finals title after a dominant three months.
Elena Rybakina: Rybakina did not make it out of her group for the second straight 12 months, however an encouraging win over Sabalenka in her remaining match bodes properly for an thrilling 2025 underneath new coach Goran Ivanisevic.
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