Coco Gauff shares message for Jasmine Paolini after WTA Finals win in Riyadh

The serving numbers were a bright spot, especially given how much they fluctuated earlier in the season. But more than anything, it was a confident performance from start to finish, something she’s been aiming to bring more consistently.

“I am really happy with how I played today; definitely a turnaround from my first match. But it’s the beauty of this tournament – you have another chance to prove yourself,” Gauff added. “Hopefully, I can do well in my next one to give myself a chance to stay in this tournament.”

This year feels different though. With one win already under her belt and another group match still ahead against Aryna Sabalenka, Gauff has put herself back into contention.

Sabalenka leads their head-to-head 4-3 after winning three straight against Gauff until their last meeting in Brisbane earlier this year, which saw the American come out on top 5-7, 6-4 ,6-4.

Coco Gauff’s message for Jasmine Paolini after WTA Finals match

Gauff spoke about Paolini in her on-court interview, offering words of encouragement. “I don’t think Jasmine [Paolini] was 100% today, so I would like to give her well wishes for her next matches today,” she said.

“Playing singles and doubles is not easy.” Reflecting on her own play, Gauff was pleased with how she performed compared to her first match of the tournament.

“I am really happy with how I played today, definitely a turnaround from my first match. But it’s the beauty of this tournament, you have another chance to prove yourself,” she said. “Hopefully, I can do well in my next one to give myself a chance to stay in this tournament.”

The win was also important for Gauff personally, as it helped her avoid a repeat of 2022 when she lost all three of her group stage matches.

“I was just trying to play relaxed. I played a WTA Finals where I lost all three matches, so I was determined not to make a repeat of that,” she said.

“I knew today’s one was important to keep myself in the tournament; if I lost, I would have been out.” Coco Gauff and Aryna Sabalenka have built up quite the rivalry over recent seasons on the WTA Tour.

Their head-to-head currently stands at six wins each. Their most recent meeting came at Indian Wells earlier this year, where Sabalenka won 6-4 6-0 in the semi-finals before going on to claim the title against Elena Rybakina.