Highlights and lowlights fancied their fair share of distribution for Coco Gauff this season. She started the year strong, reaching the last four of the Australian Open and producing noteworthy results in other significant events. But she experienced a sharp drop in form days after she concluded her clay court swing at the French Open. The American sensation couldn’t defend her title in Cincinnati and New York either. Regardless, Gauff came atop such concerns, prompting Roger Federer‘s ex-coach to predict a bright beginning to her 2025 season.

Remember her dropped form? Well, serving woes took a major toll on her performance. Gauff fired 19 double faults and committed 60 unforced errors as she fell to compatriot Emma Navarro in the fourth round of the US Open. Acknowledging her troubles with service, the young talent ended her partnership with ex-coach Brad Gilbert and joined forces with technique correctional specialist Matt Daly. Days after commencing her newfound alliance, she lifted the China Open title. However, her problems were far from done.

Despite showcasing notable improvement, Gauff served 21 DFs and threw away her winning position against Aryna Sabalenka at the Wuhan Open. Given enough practice and time to adjust to the new technique, the American star stunned fans as she became the youngest WTA Finals champion since Maria Sharapova in 2004. She outclassed home favorite Qinwen Zheng from a set down. Seeing as she concluded the year on a positive note, ‘Swiss Maestro’ Federer’s former coach Paula Annacone voiced optimistic expectations from her.

In an episode on the ‘Tennis Channel podcast, Annacone noted that her triumph in Riyadh and a good offseason will help boost her chances for the upcoming Australian Open. “I’m going with Coco Gauff. I think Coco is going to have a strong interest and I think she’d have a strong off-season. She finished the year. Well, the WTA (Finals) did it, yep. So I’m looking for Coco.”

Gauff not only enjoyed immense success during the tour’s year-end moments, but she pocketed the highest pay cheque in the history of women’s tennis, and, to much amazement, she had no clue how much she minted following her triumph in the Middle East.

Coco Gauff makes honest admission after pocketing an eye-watering payday in Riyadh

Coco Gauff was not one of the favorites going into the WTA Finals in Riyadh after a massive drop in her success rate cast doubts over her formidability against top -8 arch-rivals at the season-ending event. Not only did she quash naysayers’ predictions about her year-end performance, but the young talent minted a cool $4.81m in the process.

After bagging her maiden WTA Finals crown, Gauff candidly addressed the crowd saying, “I didn’t know, like I knew it was some money, but I didn’t know that much,” Gauff said. “Oh gosh, I hope I’m like one of the highest-paid female tennis players this year or athletes so that’ll be exciting. I wanted to win this for myself. I didn’t know that it was the biggest prize cheque on this tour.”

As predicted, Gauff is expected to do some damage in Melbourne. She enjoyed modest success at the event, naturally, begging the question of whether she would live up to those expectations and quench her thirst for another Grand Slam crown. Let us know your thoughts in the comments.