“This means a lot to me,” is what Coco Gauff said after winning her maiden WTA Finals title. In an event where the likes of Aryna Sabalenka and Iga Swiatek were the favorites to win, Gauff stunned everyone and managed to clinch the title in a tight encounter against Qinwen Zheng. After winning the title, the 20-year-old American star opened up about balancing her tennis in a tough finale.

The 20-year-old American rose to victory with a scoreline of 3-6, 6-4, 7-6, clinching the win after an intense three hours and four minutes. The triumph secured her a record-breaking $4.8M prize, the largest payout ever awarded at a sanctioned, professional tour event.

In the post-match press conference, Gauff expressed her exhaustion and pride in the challenging season. “Yeah, tired person from having the season is over,” she admitted, before acknowledging her opponent’s skills. “It was a great match, Qinwen played really great tennis. I just tried my best to hang in there and never gave up.” 

The journey to victory wasn’t easy for Gauff. She faced significant setbacks, initially falling behind with a 3-6, 1-3 deficit. In the final set, she trailed by a break twice, yet her determination carried her through each moment. At just 20, Gauff is the youngest champion at the WTA Finals since 17-year-old Maria Sharapova did it in 2004. With this win, she also has an impressive 9-1 record in the finals. After clinching the title and winning a massive prize money, Gauff opened up on how she felt after winning the amount.

Coco Gauff opens up on how she felt after winning the prize money

Coco Gauff’s thrilling victory over Qinwen Zheng at the WTA Finals in Riyadh capped off an incredible season and brought the largest payout in the history of women’s tennis. The match packed the 5,000-seat King Saud University Indoor Arena. It also reflected a surge in the event’s popularity and importance in the country.

Earlier this year, the Saudi Tennis Federation committed to a record $15.25 million prize pool for the tournament, a significant $6.25 million increase from last year’s Finals in Cancun. This new prize fund aligns the WTA Finals payout with the men’s ATP Finals in Turin, Italy, with the WTA promising even more increases for 2025 and 2026.

After clinching her victory and the substantial prize, Gauff seemed both thrilled and surprised. “I knew there was some money, but I had no idea it was that much… 4.8 million is a lot of money,” she said with a laugh. She admitted feeling unsure about her plans for the winnings, adding, “I don’t know what I’ll do with it, that’s a lot of money.” Gauff humorously hoped the prize would make her “one of the highest-paid female tennis players this year, or athletes,” calling the achievement “exciting.”

With the season now coming to a close, Gauff will be looking to enjoy some time away from sports. We are hopeful she will be in the same rhythm for the next season.