Some of the greatest WTA players in history have graced the pantheon that is the WTA Finals since the tournament’s official inauguration in 1972.
Chris Evert won the first tournament, and since then, superstars like Serena Williams, Martina Navratilova, and Steffi Graf have lifted the WTA Finals trophy.
This year, Elena Rybakina and Aryna Sabalenka appear to be the favourites to win the title – both players have won their opening two matches in their respective groups.
Coco Gauff – the defending champion – is also in contention, and she helped her cause on Tuesday by defeating Jasmine Paolini in her second round robin match.
Amid the hustle and bustle in Riyadh, Gauff and the other WTA finalists have taken time out of their busy schedules to select their dream WTA Finals contest.
Coco Gauff picks Serena and Venus Williams as her dream WTA Finals matchup
It may come as no real surprise to read that Coco Gauff has picked Serena Williams and Venus Williams as her dream WTA Finals matchup while speaking to the Tennis Channel.
Throughout her young career, Gauff has repeatedly expressed her admiration for the sisters, noting the influence they have had on her career trajectory.
In 2023, after winning her maiden Grand Slam title in New York, Gauff described their influence.
As reported by the Olympics website, Gauff said: “They’re the reason why I have this trophy today, to be honest.
“They have allowed me to believe in this dream… all the things that they had to go through, they made it easier for someone like me to do this.”
Gauff notably made her career breakthrough at the age of 15 when she defeated Venus Williams in the 2019 Wimbledon first round.
Some of her rivals at the WTA Finals picked Serena, but not Venus. Madison Keys picked Serena Williams and Coco Gauff, Amanda Anisimova selected Serena and herself, and Jessica Pegula chose Serena and Maria Sharapova.
Iga Swiatek and Aryna Sabalenka were both in agreement, selecting Steffi Graf and Martina Navratilova.
Elena Rybakina, who has already qualified for the semi-finals after winning her opening two matches, picked herself and three-time Grand Slam champion Ashleigh Barty.
Will Gauff qualify for the semi-finals?
Coco Gauff’s chances of reaching the semi-finals were given a boost following her victory against Jasmine Paolini on Tuesday.
However, she will likely need to defeat Aryna Sabalenka in her final match to stand a chance of qualifying.
This is because Jessica Pegula, who has a 1-1 record like Gauff, faces Jasmine Paolini in her final round robin match. Paolini is yet to win in match in Riyadh, losing to Gauff and Sabalenka.
Despite winning both of her first two matches in Saudi Arabia, Sabalenka has not qualified for the semi-finals. Therefore, complacency will not be a factor when the Belarusian plays Gauff.
However, all hope is not lost for Gauff – she has a 6-5 winning record against Sabalenka and has proven her ability to beat the Belarusian on the biggest stages: in two Grand Slam finals.
