Coco Gauff wins title in Wuhan: how she responded to her coach after the US Open.

Coco Gauff claims title at the Wuhan Open

According to The Sun: Coco Gauff joked about her coach Jean-Christophe Faurel after winning the title at the Wuhan Open.

The 21-year-old athlete defeated her compatriot Jessica Pegula with a score of 6-4, 7-5, securing the Masters 1000 title in China.

Recovery after the US Open

Gauff's season at the US Open this year was challenging: she lost to Naomi Osaka in the fourth round due to numerous double faults and unforced errors. However, as one of the strongest competitors in the sport, she managed to bounce back from her disappointing performance in New York and demonstrated success on the Asian hard courts.

Last week she reached the semifinals in Beijing, where she lost to future champion Amanda Anisimova. This time she surpassed her previous achievements even further by winning the tournament in Wuhan, earning $600,000 (£450k) without dropping a set.

Performance at the awards ceremony

During her speech, the winner expressed gratitude to her team, which includes Faurel, Richard Woodruff, Maria Vargo, and Gavin McMillan. Jokingly, she said:

“I want to thank my team, it was a great Asian session. I’m going to call out JC. He initially didn’t want me to come, as I had a tough US Open! But I had to prove him wrong, I’m a very stubborn person, so maybe he said that on purpose to motivate me to perform well here. But yes, thank you. Thank you, Richard, thank you, Maria. We have a new member in this Asian session, Joe, we had fun with him, so I appreciate him. And Gavin is currently in South Africa, also a new member, but very important for this process and this result, thank you all.”

“I know we have our ups and downs, but this moment is worth it, so I really appreciate all of you.”

Gauff has a great relationship with Jessica Pegula, as they are partners on the US team and previously regularly played doubles together. The two-time Grand Slam tournament champion added:

“I want to congratulate Jess on an incredible tournament. You played a lot of three-setters, you’re the queen of three-setters, so I was determined not to let you get there in today’s match, as it seemed the odds were in your favor in the third set! When I started my professional career, you were one of the first to be nice to me and welcomed me with open arms, and that really left an impression.”

“So I really appreciate you and it’s a pleasure to play in the final against you, hoping for many new encounters.”

Gauff will next take the court at the WTA Finals, which starts on November 1 in Riyadh. Aryna Sabalenka, Iga Swiatek, Gauff, and Anisimova have already qualified, and Pegula's performance also confirmed her participation in the event.

Claiming the title was an important step in Gauff's career, especially after the hardships at the US Open. By winning in Wuhan, she demonstrated her resilience and readiness to fight for victories on the world stage. This tournament vividly showcases her potential in upcoming competitions and her readiness for other challenges in the next season.