Coco Gauff has capped her impressive 2024 tennis season with a historic victory at the WTA Finals in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, earning her the title of youngest winner since Maria Sharapova in 2004.
Defeating China’s Qinwen Zheng in a grueling three-hour match, Gauff not only claimed the prestigious title but also pocketed a record-breaking $4.8 million in prize money, the highest ever for a tour event.
The payout surpasses Ashleigh Barty’s previous record of $4.42 million at the 2019 WTA Finals and far outpaces the $3.6 million awarded at this year’s US Open singles event.
Despite the tournament’s thrilling outcome, Gauff’s performance in the group stage, particularly her loss to Barbora Krejčíková, sparked controversy.
Some critics accused her of underperforming intentionally, claiming it disadvantaged defending champion Iga Świątek.
However, Serena Williams’ former coach, Rennae Stubbs, quickly dismissed these allegations as baseless. Speaking on The Rennae Stubbs Tennis Podcast, Stubbs clarified that financial incentives alone would have driven Gauff to play her best.
“She’s thinking, ‘I wanna win again. I wanna get more money in my pocket.’ If she had gone undefeated, she would’ve earned even more,” Stubbs explained. “Coco is going to be set for life, but that’s not going to make her want to lose.”
For the 20-year-old, who became the first tennis player born in 2004 or later to cross the $20 million mark in career earnings, the news of her massive Riyadh payout was a shock.
“I didn’t know, jeez!” Gauff exclaimed. “I knew it was some money but I didn’t know it was that much! … I hope I am one of the highest-paid female tennis players or athletes this year; that will be exciting.”
Although excited by the earnings, Gauff admitted she isn’t one to splurge:
“I’ve bought a house, and I don’t really know what else I want … I’m going to a music festival next week, but I don’t know what I will do with it. That’s a lot of money!”
Renowned for her sportsmanship and dedication, Gauff’s success at the WTA Finals represents a milestone in women’s sports, with the event’s prize pool reaching a record $15.25 million, a $6.25 million increase from last year’s Cancun finals.
Already the highest-paid female athlete in 2023 according to Sportico, Gauff’s accomplishments have bolstered her reputation as a formidable and celebrated figure in tennis.
