Coco Gauff achieved a 14-year first at the WTA Finals after she reached the championship match.
The American defeated Aryna Sabalenka in straight sets to reach the season-ending championships final for the first time.
After Gauff beat second seed Iga Swiatek in the WTA Finals group stages, she is the youngest player to defeat the World number one and two at the WTA Finals since Kim Clijsters in 2002, when she beat Serena and Venus Williams.
Standing between Gauff and the WTA Finals trophy is Qinwen Zheng, who overcame Barbora Krejčíková to reach the final.
Coco Gauff does something no player at the WTA Finals has managed since 2010 after reaching final
Coco Gauff’s solid court coverage and ability to play the big points well frustrated Aryna Sabalenka during their semi-final clash in Riyadh.
To the surprise of many, Sabalenka was rather erratic with her forehand. She committed a plethora of unforced errors on that side, including 18 in the first set.
Gauff converted six of her 11 break points and crucially, the American won more than half the points behind first and second serve and committed just two double faults.
In one hour and 49 minutes, Gauff completed a 7-6(4), 6-3 win and became the youngest woman to reach the championship match at the WTA Finals since Caroline Wozniacki in 2010.
Coco Gauff looks ahead to WTA Finals championship match against Qinwen Zheng
Gauff will face Zheng for the second time and it will take place in the WTA Finals championship match.
This is the youngest two finalists at the event since 2004, when Maria Sharapova defeated Serena Williams.
This will the pair’s second meeting, six months after the American won the Italian quarter-final clash, and Gauff is excited for it.
“As soon as I finished the match I asked the Sky Sports team but they didn’t have the answer but you do, so that’s good to know,” Gauff told reporters in her post-semi-final press conference.
“In my lifetime I’ve never seen so that’s pretty cool, and it just shows age is a number both ways, old and young, and I’m really excited.”
