Coco Gauff defeated Jessica Pegula 6-4, 7-5 in the Wuhan Open final on Sunday, securing her third WTA 1000 title. The 21-year-old American, ranked world No 3, rallied from 0-3 down in the second set, saving a set point at 3-5 before reeling off four consecutive games to clinch victory.
Gauff's win marks her second title of the year, following the French Open, and her 11th career title overall. She becomes the second American to win the Wuhan Open 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 fell short.
In the trophy presentation, Gauff praised her doubles partner and friend. 'When I came on tour, you were one of the first people to be nice to me and welcome me with open arms,' she said. 'It's great to finally play in a final against you.' Gauff also noted Pegula's recent run of three-set matches, calling her a 'three-set queen' and expressing relief at avoiding a decider.
The victory improves Gauff's record in finals to 11-3, while Pegula drops to 9-11. Gauff's previous WTA 1000 titles came in Cincinnati (2023) and Beijing (2024). She also reached finals in Madrid and Rome this year.
