Defending champion Coco Gauff delivered a clinical performance to defeat Jasmine Paolini 6-3, 6-2, eliminating the Italian and securing her first win at the WTA Finals on Tuesday.
The 21-year-old, who made 17 double faults in her loss to fellow American Jessica Pegula in her first match in Group Steffi Graf on Sunday, reduced her double faults to three this time as she dominated the eighth seed.
“I knew today’s win was important to keep myself in the tournament. If I lost, I would have been out,” world number three Gauff said.
The American swiftly built a 3-0 lead in the first set within just over 10 minutes before Paolini fought through a nine-minute struggle to fend off three break points and win her first game.
Paolini managed to get a break,
but Gauff drew the Italian into backhand rallies and won points with precise cross-court shots, taking a 5-3 lead before holding serve to clinch the set.
The French Open champion’s strategy of making Paolini constantly run from one side of the court to the other paid off again when Gauff secured back-to-back breaks to go 5-2 up in the second set.
She clinched victory with a powerful serve that Paolini could only return into the net.
“I thought I served smart… I don’t think Jasmine was 100% today,” Gauff added.
Top seed Aryna Sabalenka faces Pegula later on Tuesday in Group Steffi Graf.
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