Coco Gauff Wins WTA Finals Title And Record $4.8M In Prize Money

TOPSHOT - US' Coco Gauff celebrates with her winning trophy after defeating China's Zheng Qinwen in ... [+] their women's singles final tennis match at the WTA Finals Championship in Riyadh on November 9, 2024. (Photo by Fayez NURELDINE / AFP) (Photo by FAYEZ NURELDINE/AFP via Getty Images)

Coco Gauff may not have won a major in 2024, but she ended her season in spectacular fashion.

The 20-year-old American and No. 3 in the world defeated No. 7 and Olympic gold medalist Qinwen Zheng of China 3-6, 6-4, 7-6(2) in 3 hours, 4 minutes to clinch the Billie Jean King Trophy and her ninth career WTA Tour singles title. It was the longest final at the WTA Finals since time stats started being tracked in 2008.

It was the biggest title for Gauff since winning the 2023 U.S. Open.

Gauff takes home $4,805,000 for her week in Riyadh –- the largest payout at a WTA Tour event. The American has also clinched the season-ending world No.3 ranking for the second straight year.

“Just staying resilient, fighting for every point," Gauff said in her post-match press conference, per the WTA. “I know I was like a couple points away from losing, but, you know, I just tried to stay in the moment, honestly, and I'm really proud of myself.”

Gauff won the final after defeating world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka in straight in the semis.

Against Zheng, an Australian Open finalist in January,Gauff had to come back from a break down in the second set, and she was twice down a break in the third set, where Zheng served for the match at 5-4.

Gauff battled back each time.

“At the end of the match, when I, like, fell on the floor, I didn't think I was going to do that," Gauff said. "I kind of, like, made a promise to myself that I will only save that for Grand Slams. But honestly, to the way the match went, I was like, 'I'm just tired. I just want to lay on the ground.”

After losing in the fourth round of the U.S. Open and parting ways with former coach Brad Gilbert, Gauff won 12 of her last 14 matches this year.

Zheng also ended the season in hot form. Since Wimbledon, she has posted a 31-6 record, leading the tour in wins during that time.

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