Coco Gauff was originally concerned about playing in Saudi Arabia this week – but now, it’s hard to imagine she regrets making the trip.
The 20-year-old won the WTA Finals over Zheng Qinwen of China on Saturday, her first tournament title.
Gauff lost the first set, 3-6, but then won the next two 6-4, 7-6 (7-2), becoming the youngest winner of the event since 2004, when Maria Sharapova did it at age 17.
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Coco Gauff of the United States holds the Billie Jean King Trophy after her three-set victory against Qinwen Zheng of China in their Women’s Singles Final match during Day 8 of the 2024 WTA Finals Riyadh as part of the Hologic WTA Tour at King Saud University Indoor Arena on November 9, 2024, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)
She went undefeated in the round-robin tournament, defeating U.S. Open runner-up Jessica Pegula, five-time grand slam winner Iga Swiatek, 2024 Wimbledon champion Barbora Krejčíková, and 2024 U.S. Open champ and World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka, whom Gauff defeated in the 2023 U.S. Open final.
Prior to the tournament, though, Gauff admitted she had her “reservations” about playing in Saudi Arabia, citing the country’s treatment of women and the LGBTQ community.
“I would be lying to you if I said I had no reservations. Obviously, you know who I am and the things I speak about. I was pretty much on every player call I could make with WTA. One of the things I said, if we come here, we can’t just come here and play our tournament and leave. Like, we have to have a real program or real plan in place,” Gauff said.
“Obviously, I’m a woman. I was very concerned. My dad was very concerned with me coming here,” she added.
Gauff said she spoke to Princess Reema bint Bandar Al Saud to discuss the treatment of women there. Bandar Al Saud is royalty in the country because her paternal grandfather is former Crown Prince Sultan. She currently serves as the 11th Ambassador of Saudi Arabia to the U.S.
Coco Gauff of the United States celebrates a point against Qinwen Zheng of China in their Women’s Singles Final match during Day 8 of the 2024 WTA Finals Riyadh as part of the Hologic WTA Tour at King Saud University Indoor Arena on November 9, 2024, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)
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“We spoke with a lot of women here in Saudi. One of them was Princess Reema. Multiple calls with her, how the best approach would be to enter into this different place that women have never kind of – women from U.S. – have never kind of been in,” Gauff said.
But now, Gauff feels a sense of responsibility to better the country’s human rights record.
I do think that sport can have a way to open doors to people. I think in order to kind of want change, you have to see it. I think sports, for me, I would say, is the easiest way to kind of introduce that,” she said.
“Hopefully with WTA coming here and they pledged for the next three years to help the future Stars Program here in Saudi, have introduced more Saudi women especially into the sport. I think their goal is to have a million people playing tennis here by 2030. Hopefully with that, people can see us, what we represent, and hopefully that will enact more equality.”
Coco Gauff of the United States plays a backhand against Qinwen Zheng of China in their Women’s Singles Final match during Day 8 of the 2024 WTA Finals Riyadh as part of the Hologic WTA Tour at King Saud University Indoor Arena on November 9, 2024, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)
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The victory completes Gauff’s 2024 season in which she lost two major semifinals, and then lost two others in the Round of 16. She won her first doubles major at the French Open with Erin Routliffe of New Zealand and will finish the season as the third-ranked player in the world.
Gauff, alongside LeBron James, was a flagbearer at the Olympics this past summer, but she lost in the third round of the tournament.
Fox News’ Jackson Thompson contributed to this report.
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