Coco Gauff clinched the Wuhan Open title by securing four consecutive games to defeat Jessica Pegula with a 6-4, 7-5 victory in an all-American final on Sunday. Gauff, aged 21, claimed her second title of the year, following her earlier win at the French Open on clay, bringing her total career titles to 11.
Despite being down 5-3 in the second set, the third-ranked Gauff managed to hold her serve and subsequently broke Pegula, ranked sixth, to level the score at 5-5. A forehand error from Pegula on a crucial point gave Gauff her first match point, which she converted with a forehand winner after a brief exchange.
Reflecting on her performance, Gauff expressed pride in her tournament run, particularly in winning all her matches in straight sets, a feat she hadn’t accomplished before during a title-winning campaign. She emphasized her satisfaction with her achievements throughout the week, regardless of the final outcome.
Pegula, aged 31, had previously defeated top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka in the semifinals but couldn’t maintain her momentum in the final, missing out on her 10th career title. Gauff’s victory marked her as the second American to secure the Wuhan Open title after Venus Williams achieved the feat in 2015.
The final between Gauff and Pegula marked their seventh career meeting and their first encounter in a final. Pegula currently holds a 4-3 advantage over Gauff in their overall head-to-head matchups and has partnered with Gauff to clinch several WTA doubles titles.
During the trophy ceremony, Gauff expressed gratitude towards Pegula for her early support and warm welcome when Gauff joined the tour, highlighting their positive relationship. Gauff also expressed her excitement at facing Pegula in the final and looked forward to more opportunities to compete against her in the future.
With this win, Gauff’s final record improved to 11-3, while Pegula’s finals record dropped to 9-11. Pegula commended Gauff for her maturity and talent, stating that despite the age gap, she held great respect and admiration for her younger counterpart.
