Gauff Apologizes For Limited Autographs After WTA Finals Due To Busy Schedule
Coco Gauff said she did not get to sign as many autographs as usual after winning the WTA Finals due to a rushed schedule caused by the length of the final against Qinwen Zheng.
Gauff and Zheng’s battle to decide the winner of the WTA Finals was one of the most grueling and brutal battles of 2024. After three hours and four minutes on the court, the American prevailed 3-6, 7-6, 6-4, and became the WTA Finals champion.
Zheng served for the championship at 5-4 up in the third set but could not close it out. Despite saving four championship points afterward, Gauff still managed to triumph in the deciding set tiebreak in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
The 20-year-old won an incredible $4.805 million for winning the WTA Finals. That is the most significant prize money ever awarded to a female player, showing the impact of hosting the tournament in Saudi Arabia.
It marked a triumphant end to a superb final few months of the season for Gauff. She had endured some struggles throughout 2024, leading to her and Brad Gilbert parting ways and Matt Daly taking over as coach.
That appears to be one of the best decisions Gauff has made. She won the China Open title in her first tournament with Daly before reaching the semifinal of the Wuhan Open the following week.
Gauff’s improvements under Daly have been further proven by the world No. 3’s winning the WTA Finals title. It is the second biggest title of the American’s career after last year’s US Open triumph.
However, Gauff did not get to relax immediately after the match. Instead, she had a whirlwind few hours before getting a plane home to the U.S. to see the rest of her family. Gauff’s mother was in Saudi Arabia as a supporter.
In an Instagram story, Gauff revealed she went straight off the court to the trophy ceremony and then to the airport all in the space of a few hours, meaning the WTA Finals champion was still wearing heels before her flight home.
