Coco Gauff defeated Jessica Pegula 6-4, 7-5 in the Wuhan Open final on Sunday, securing her second title of the year and the 11th of her career. The 21-year-old world No 3 rallied from 0-3 down in the second set, saving a set point at 3-5 before winning four consecutive games to clinch the match.
Gauff, who also won the French Open earlier this season, became the second American to win the Wuhan title after Venus Williams in 2015. Pegula, who had beaten world No 1 Aryna Sabalenka in the semi-finals, was aiming for her 10th career title but lost momentum after leading in the second set.
In the trophy presentation, Gauff praised Pegula, saying: 'When I came on tour, you were one of the first people to be nice to me and welcome me with open arms. That really goes a long way.' Gauff added that she was determined to avoid a third set, noting Pegula had won seven of her last eight three-set matches.
The victory improved Gauff's record in finals to 11-3, while Pegula fell to 9-11. Gauff now has three WTA 1000 titles, having previously won in Cincinnati and Beijing, and reached two other finals at this level in 2025.
