Coco Gauff has done it again, and in commanding fashion! The 21-year-old tennis star defeated fellow American Jessica Pegula 6-4, 7-5 earlier this October to win the 2025 Wuhan Open, making her the first American woman to capture the title since Venus Williams in 2015.
The victory marks yet another milestone in Gauff’s meteoric rise: she is now undefeated in her first nine hard-court finals in the Open Era, an unprecedented feat that cements her status as one of the sport’s fiercest competitors.
For Gauff, this triumph is about more than just another trophy; it’s a statement of consistency, composure, and evolution. Having already conquered clay with a French Open title earlier this year, she’s now proven that her all-court game travels seamlessly across surfaces.
“Winning every match in straight sets, I don’t know if I’ve done that before,” Gauff said after lifting the trophy. “I’m just really proud of what I accomplished this week, regardless of the result today.”
Facing Pegula, a close friend and longtime doubles partner, the match carried an undercurrent of mutual respect as much as rivalry. Pegula, who had toppled world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka in the semifinals, appeared poised to force a decider after going up 5-3 in the second set. But Gauff, showing poise beyond her years, held serve and then stormed through the final four games to close out the match.
The final point was pure Gauff: a blistering forehand winner after a tense rally, sealing the win and drawing loud cheers from the Wuhan crowd.
“Jess, when I came on tour, you were one of the first people to welcome me,” Gauff said during the post-match ceremony. “It’s great to finally play you in a final. I hope for many more.”
For Pegula, who remains one of the WTA Tour’s most consistent top-tier players, the loss was bittersweet — a reminder of Gauff’s rapid ascent and her own enduring place among the elite.
“Even though I’m a bit older,” Pegula said, “I always admire and respect her so much. She’s just so mature for her age.”
With this win, Gauff improves to 11 career titles, and perhaps more importantly, she sends a clear message ahead of next season: the post-Serena era in American women’s tennis is not a void — it’s a handoff.
From Venus Williams’ triumph in Wuhan a decade ago to Gauff’s dazzling dominance today, the lineage of Black excellence in tennis continues to thrive, evolve, and inspire.
