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Coco Gauff's former coach Brad Gilbert, was impressed by the American's surprising win over Iga Świątek at the 2024 WTA Finals. Gilbert was particularly pleased with her victory, as it would help Aryna Sabalenka secure the year-end No. 1 ranking.
On Thursday, Gauff defeated Świątek 6-3, 6-4 in their second round-robin group match. This clash was the 13th meeting between the two on the WTA Tour, with Świątek winning 11 of their previous encounters, including their first seven matchups.
Following the match, Coco Gauff's former coach Brad Gilbert, who guided her to her 2023 US Open victory, commended her performance. He praised the 20-year-old's win, calling it instrumental in helping Aryna Sabalenka finish the 2024 season as the world No. 1.
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“Good effort from Coco today, taking out Iga Pop will have a new yearend number Saby," Brad Gilbert said
Last season, Aryna Sabalenka held the WTA No. 1 ranking for just eight weeks before Iga Świątek reclaimed the top spot after winning the WTA Finals, securing the year-end No. 1 ranking for the second consecutive year.
This year, Sabalenka has had the best season of her career so far, winning Grand Slam titles at the Australian Open and the US Open. She also won the Cincinnati Masters and the Wuhan Open titles. Sabalenka reached the finals of the Italian Open, the Madrid Open, and the Brisbane International.
Coco Gauff on her surprise victory over Iga Swiatek - “I had a lot of confidence”
After defeating Iga Swiatek on Tuesday, Coco Gauff told the press that she felt confident going into the match, despite their head-to-head record. She noted that even though some games were messy and went to deuce, she felt she could win by staying focused.
"It feels great, I knew going into the match, despite our head-to-head, I had a lot of confidence and I felt like I was playing great tennis. Even when I was playing a little bit sloppy, the games that I lost were still going to deuce. That gave me confidence and I knew if I stayed solid I had the chance to close out the match," Coco Gauff said
Gauff also Coco Gauff appreciated the crowd’s energy, saying it made competing more exciting, even with some cheering for Iga.
“It means a lot [the crowds] especially the corner over there. You guys are holding it down and it was a really fun atmosphere. Even though some of you guys were cheering for Iga, I like playing in atmospheres like this and it makes competing exciting,” she said.
Gauff's next opponent at the 2024 WTA Finals will be Barbora Krejčíková, who recently beat Jessica Pegula 6-3, 6-3 to keep her semifinal hopes alive. The two will lock horns for the second time, with the Czech having previously beaten her in the quarterfinals of the 2021 French Open.
