Coco Gauff staged a remarkable comeback by winning four consecutive games to defeat Jessica Pegula with a score of 6-4, 7-5 in the final of the Wuhan Open on Sunday. The 21-year-old Gauff secured her second title of the year, following her victory at the French Open on clay, bringing her total career titles to 11.
Despite being down 5-3 in the second set, the third-ranked Gauff managed to save the set by holding her serve and then breaking Pegula to level the score at 5-5. A crucial forehand error from Pegula on a match point opportunity sealed the victory for Gauff, who expressed her pride in her straight-set match victories throughout the tournament.
In a close contest, Pegula, aged 31, who defeated top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka in the semifinals, couldn’t maintain her momentum against Gauff and missed out on her 10th career title. Gauff’s win made her the second American to capture the Wuhan title, following Venus Williams’ triumph in 2015.
This final marked the seventh meeting between Gauff and Pegula, with Pegula holding a 4-3 advantage in their head-to-head record. Gauff acknowledged Pegula’s kindness and support early in her career during the trophy ceremony, expressing her hope for more future encounters on the court.
Gauff’s final record improved to 11-3, while Pegula’s finals record dropped to 9-11. Pegula commended Gauff’s maturity and talent, highlighting their mutual respect and admiration despite the age difference.