Gauff and Pegula to Face off in Wuhan Open Final

WUHAN, China — Coco Gauff advanced to the final of the Wuhan Open on Saturday, overcoming seven double faults in her 6-4, 6-3 victory over Jasmine Paolini. The win sets up an all-American showdown against Jessica Pegula, who ended top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka‘s 20-match winning streak at the tournament.

Gauff, 21, battled against both her opponent and her serve. She managed to convert key breaks, winning a close 7-5 in their contested breaks of serve. Despite her serving struggles, Gauff rallied to win the final four games of the match.

<p“I did what I needed to do to get through,” Gauff said after her match, reflecting on her performance.

<pGauff's season has seen her lead the women's circuit in double faults with 378, significantly higher than any other player. However, her achievements are notable—she holds 13 career wins over top-10 players at WTA 1000 events, the most by any player before turning 22 since 2009.

<pOn the other side of the bracket, Pegula, ranked sixth, faced a fierce challenge from Sabalenka but prevailed in a thrilling 2-6, 6-4, 7-6 (2) match. Pegula came back from a 5-2 deficit in the final set, winning four consecutive games and then successfully navigating a tiebreaker after Sabalenka saved two match points.

<pSabalenka, a two-time Wuhan champion, had hoped to reclaim her title, having won the tournament in 2018, 2019, and again in 2024 after it returned to the circuit.