Coco Gauff defeats Jasmine Paolini in straight sets to extend WTA finals run

In a thrilling match at the WTA Finals, defending champion Coco Gauff outplayed Jasmine Paolini 6-3, 6-2 on Tuesday. This commanding straight-sets win preserved the 21-year-old American's chances of reaching the semifinals in the elite year-end tournament.

Coco Gauff's performance

Coco Gauff, seeded No. 3, entered the match facing potential elimination from the Stefanie Graf Group. After dropping her opener in three sets to Jessica Pegula, she needed a strong showing against No. 8 seed Jasmine Paolini. The young star delivered, showcasing the composure that has defined her rise.

Her coach, Jean-Cristophe Faurel, who has guided Gauff on and off for six years, praised her big-match mentality before the tournament. “She’s amazing in the ability she has to just close everything,” he explained.

“For me, the French Open final is the best example. Like every player, she can be irritated, distracted when she plays, and look at us too much. She may have looked at us two times. She was in the zone. This makes her different from many, many players. Semifinals, final, big match... She plays her best tennis most of the time. I think she’s 11-for-14 in finals.”

That French Open triumph at Roland Garros highlighted Coco Gauff's fourth consecutive WTA Finals appearance. Now with 33 career Top 10 wins, she improved to 1-1 in round-robin play.

Match highlights: What happened in the game?

Unlike her Jasmine Pegula loss, which was plagued by 17 double faults and 45 forehand errors, Coco Gauff was dialed in against Paolini. She committed just three double faults and won 35 of 50 service points, including an impressive 15 of 19 on second serve.

The American broke Jasmine Paolini in the opening game and raced to a 3-0 lead after fending off love-40. Paolini fought back with break chances to tie at 4-4, but Gauff reeled off five straight points for a 5-3 edge. The second set saw breaks in the fifth and seventh games, sealing the 6-2 frame.

Jasmine Paolini, in her second WTA Finals singles draw, exits with a 1-4 record but remains alive in doubles with partner Sara Errani as top seeds. Despite winning three of four prior meetings this year, the Italian couldn't overcome Gauff's recent form, including a straight-sets Wuhan semifinal win last month.

What's next for Coco Gauff?

Coco Gauff must now wait for the outcome of the later match between Jessica Pegula and top-seeded Aryna Sabalenka. Depending on that result, she could advance to the semifinals with a win, a loss in three sets for the winner, or other tiebreaker scenarios. Her fate hinges on Thursday's clash against World No. 1 Sabalenka in the final round-robin group match, which may decide who moves forward.

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