CANCUN, Mexico: US Open champion Coco Gauff earned the first WTA Finals victory of her career on Monday night, breezing past three-time major runner-up Ons Jabeur 6-0, 6-1 in a round-robin match interrupted for a little more than an hour by rain.
Gauff, a 19-year-old from Florida, went 0-3 in singles at the season-ending championship in 2022. “After the rain delay, I was just focused on keeping my foot on the gas pedal,” said Gauff, who next will face Iga Swiatek, a 7-6 (3), 6-0 winner against Marketa Vondrousova. “I’m just happy,” Gauff said, “to finally get a win here in this event.” She is in Cancun with Brad Gilbert, who was one of her two coaches during the run of 12 consecutive victories — and 18 in 19 matches — that culminated with her first Grand Slam title in New York in September.
The other coach at Flushing Meadows, Pere Riba, is no longer part of Gauff’s team. “It wasn’t my decision. But we had to end the partnership.
But I had a great time with him and I wish him the best in this next chapter,” Gauff explained. “If it was up to me, I would have loved to have him here.