Coco Gauff Makes History as Youngest WTA Finals Champion, Wins Record $4.8M Prize

Coco Gauff topped off her 2024 season by winning the WTA Finals and securing a historic $4.8 million payday, which was yet another major milestone in her rapidly growing career. Never shy about responding to online chatter, the 20-year-old took to social media after her victory to share a playful message: ‘Safe to say I beat the bad season allegations.’

lol safe to say I beat the bad season allegations 😭🫣

— Coco Gauff (@CocoGauff) November 10, 2024

While reflecting on her season, Gauff acknowledged the ups and downs that are typical for a professional tour year. “At moments, it felt great. At other moments, it felt awful. Basically, a typical year on tour,” she shared in a recent interview with the Associated Press. Among her low points was a disappointing U.S. Open run, where her title defense ended in a fourth-round exit marred by 19 double-faults. “It was a hard loss for me,” she admitted,acknowledging how it compelled her to rethink certain aspects of her game.

For Gauff, that US open exit was a turning point. She decided to make changes to her coaching team, parting ways with Brad Gilbert and bringing Matt Daly on board to work alongside Jean-Christophe ‘JC’ Faurel, according to Tennis.com.

Following the coaching change, she made a comeback, going 13-2 in her last three tournaments, winning two titles and making a semifinal appearance. The key is when you reach a low, the only way you can go is up,” said Gauff. “So at that point, I just said, ‘Well, I have to get better at some things, and just try to do that.’ Being a tennis player, you can’t miss a bunch of tournaments just to practice — I mean, you can, but I didn’t want to do that; I didn’t want to take that route — so I just decided to be willing to accept the losses and wins while working on things.

Gauff’s run in Riyadh also saw her defeat No 1. Aryna Sabalenka and No 2. Iga Swiatek in the same tournament for the first time since Sharapova in 2004. Aryna Sabalenka, whom she defeated in the semifinals, praised her grit, remarking, ‘She’s a fighter.’

In a physical and mentally demanding final, Gauff required every ounce of that fighting spirit. The WTA Finals title match that lasted three hours and three sets was the longest since record-keeping began in 2008. Reflecting on the high stakes and intense back-and-forth, Zheng commented,  “When you play this type of match, it’s not about tennis, it’s just about choices on court.”

For Gauff, who now stands as the youngest champion at the WTA Finals since Sharapova, these crucial moments and her ability to bounce back from setbacks underline her rapid growth. Gauff’s season finale proved that she can thrive in the spotlight and pay close attention to those who doubt her due to her competitive edge and ability to withstand adve