Coco Gauff and Aryna Sabalenka are set to contest a crucial final round robin match at the WTA Finals on Thursday.
Gauff, who is 1-1 at the Finals so far, will most likely need a win to advance to the semi-final stage. This is because Jessica Pegula, who also has a 1-1 record, faces Jasmine Paolini, who is clearly out of form [she has a 0-2 record.]
Sabalenka has started strongly in Riyadh, winning her first two matches against Jasmine Paolini and Jessica Pegula.
However, Sabalenka has not yet qualified for the semi-finals in Saudi Arabia; a win against Gauff on Thursday would guarantee the Belarusian top spot of the Stefanie Graf WTA Finals group.
Tracy Austin, a major champion like Sabalenka and Gauff, has previewed Thursday’s titanic clash.
Tracy Austin picks Aryna Sabalenka to defeat Coco Gauff in Riyadh
Coco Gauff and Aryna Sabalenka have played each other twice on the WTA Tour this year.
At the Madrid Open, Sabalenka won their match in the final, defeating the American 6-3, 7-6.
However, Gauff would soon have her revenge, defeating the Belarusian in the French Open final: a result that was lauded by Rafael Nadal.
It must also be noted that Gauff defeated Sabalenka 7-6, 6-3 in the semi-finals of last year’s WTA Finals.
Tracy Austin, who won the 1979 US Open at the age of 16, has offered her take on Gauff and Sabalenka’s upcoming clash in Riyadh.
Speaking on the Tennis Channel, Austin said: “It’s incredible, that’s my favourite rivalry at the moment because they’ve played in two major finals.
“I think right now, I’d have to go with Sabalenka. She’s the one who has the 2-0 lead as far as matches won here.
“Also, it depends on which Coco shows up – the one that played against Paolini, where she served well, her forehand was solid, or the one against Pegula in her opening round match.
She had like 45 unforced errors on the forehand side, 17 double faults. Can’t afford to do that against Sabalenka. Sabalenka played really well against Pegula yesterday in that three-setter.”
Vicky Duval says Gauff will need to rush Sabalenka
Former world number 87 Vicky Duval has also weighed in on Gauff’s chances against the world number one.
Duval, a former winner of the USTA Girls’ 18s National Championships, won three ITF titles during her career.
Speaking on the Tennis Channel, Duval said: “For Gauff, it’s going to be managing her serve. She’s going to have to really go after the forehand. If she gives those slower, high, heavy forehands to Sabalenka – Sabalenka has no issues dealing with that, so she’s going to have to try to rush Sabalenka as much as possible, get her running.
“And Sabalenka has looked so strong, so solid in all these matches that she’s played. I think Coco’s going to come in with that confidence of the second round match. She looked completely out of rhythm in her first round against Pegula.
“She picked up her level a little bit. She’s going to have to do that even more. Sabalenka’s going to be her biggest challenge so far, so if she can neutralise Sabalenka’s power and just use that grit that she always brings to the matches, she can give herself a chance.
“But it will be really tough.”
If Gauff advances on Thursday, she will face either Elena Rybakina or Amanda Anisimova in the semi-finals.
Rybakina went 3-0 in the round robin, while Anisimova secured a 2-1 record – and a place in the semi-finals – after defeating Iga Swiatek on Wednesday.
Regarding Rybakina, history will most certainly be on her side in the semi-finals, regardless of who she faces.
