Tennis superstar Coco Gauff capped off the 2024 season by defeating China’s Zheng Qinwen 3-6, 6-4, 7-6 (2) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on Saturday, becoming the youngest player to win the WTA Finals in 20 years.

Gauff, 20, is the youngest player to reach this career milestone since 17-year-old Maria Sharapova did so in 2004 — the same year Gauff was born, CNN and WTA Tennis reported.

“I asked (about the record) as soon as I got the match,” Gauff said, per the WTA. “I asked: ‘Was this the youngest? It has to be some kind of record.’ I asked the Sky team, what was the answer. They didn’t have it, but that’s good to know.”

She continued, “It was 2004. The year I was born was the last time, so in my lifetime, basically, I’ve never seen it. That’s pretty cool. It just shows age is a number both ways, old and young.”

ESPN reported that Gauff is the first American player to win the finals since Serena Williams won in 2014.

With the win, she’s nabbed a prize of $4.8 million, which is the largest single prize payout in WTA history, per the Tennis Channel.

Adding to her record-breaking achievements, Gauff is the first tennis player born in 2004 or later, male or female, to surpass $20 million in prize money. According to Tennis.com, the 2023 U.S. Open champion entered the tournament with $16,776,989 and, with her record-setting winner’s check of $4,805,000, pushed her total to $21,581,989.

In Saturday’s matchup, Gauff rallied from 2-0 and 5-3 down in the final set, coming within two points of a loss. The 20-year-old fought back to force a tiebreaker, ultimately defeating the Olympic champion despite Zheng’s comeback attempt.

 

Gauff is also the youngest player to defeat the World No. 1 and No. 2 at the WTA Finals since Kim Clijsters in 2002, according to Opta.

The Florida native had some choice words for those who doubted her in the finals.

“I just love to say I’m right. Specifically today, I got comments about how I was going to lose badly, so I was just like, ‘OK, we’ll see,'” Gauff said, per ESPN. “It’s honestly just liking the idea of just proving people wrong and, and letting your racket do the talking. And so, yeah, I use it as motivation.”

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