Who will Coco Gauff face in WTA Finals 2024 group stage? All you need to know about the American's draw in Riyadh
The draw for the WTA Finals 2024 was unveiled on Tuesday, October 29, and World No. 3 Coco Gauff learned of her fate. This will be her third consecutive appearance at the year-end championships, though her workload will be halved this time.
For the last two years, Gauff was on double duty as she qualified in both singles and doubles. Even though she won the French Open in doubles this year, she didn't divert too much of her attention to the discipline. With only a singles campaign to focus on this time, she will aim to channel her energy into lifting the trophy.
Gauff's debut at the WTA Finals a couple of years ago was far from memorable as she lost all three of her group ties in singles and doubles. She did a better job last year and advanced to the semifinals in singles, though her time in doubles was limited to the group stage once again.
The American will hope that the third time is indeed the charm for her, and she will be able to lift the winner's trophy this time. On that note, here's a look at who Coco Gauff will have to go up against during the group stage of the WTA Finals 2024:
#1 - Iga Swiatek
Coco Gauff will have to face her biggest adversary on the tour, Iga Swiatek, in the group stage. She has a lopsided 1-11 record against the Pole, and lost both of their meetings this year in straight sets, albeit on clay. The American's only win in this match-up came last year en route to the title in Cincinnati.
The two have also crossed paths at the previous two editions of the WTA Finals as well, that too in the group stage. Swiatek won 6-3, 6-0 in 2022, and secured a 6-0, 7-5 win last year. However, she hasn't played since her quarterfinal exit from the US Open, and if her very first match is against Gauff, then the latter could stand a chance before her rival gets some momentum.
The courts in Cincinnati were fast, and that's where Gauff finally got the better of Swiatek. The WTA Finals are going to be played indoors, and the conditions tend to be on the faster side more often than not, which could sway the tide in the American's favor once again.
#2 - Jessica Pegula
While they are great friends off the court, they're fierce rivals on it, even though their head-to-head is quite one-sided. Coco Gauff will also have to deal with her compatriot Jessica Pegula in the round robin phase. Her older countrywoman has the advantage in this match-up, and has tallied four wins against a solitary loss.
Their rivalry was evenly matched at the start, with each player winning one match. However, Pegula has since won their next three matches, including in Berlin this year. She also has a 3-0 record on hardcourts against Gauff. The two also faced off in the semifinals of last year's WTA Finals, and the 30-year-old secured an easy 6-2, 6-1 win.
However, Gauff is in good form heading into the WTA Finals, with a title in Beijing and a semifinal finish in Wuhan. Pegula, on the other hand, lost in the fourth and third rounds respectively. The 20-year-old could finally snap her losing skid with a win this time if she maintains her form.
#3 - Barbora Krejcikova
Reigning Wimbledon champion Barbora Krejcikova will be Coco Gauff's final opponent in the group stage. The two don't have much of a rivalry, and have locked horns only once in the past. The Czech won that encounter in straight sets en route to the French Open title three years ago.
Krejcikova's results have been all over the place since then, with some highs with plenty of lows. This year has been the same story, and aside from her Wimbledon triumph and a quarterfinal showing at the Australian Open, she hasn't done much of note.
This could be one match where Gauff will start off as the favorite. The young American has a rather tough draw, with a losing record against all of her opponents in the group stage. All players against whom she either has a winning record or an even head-to-head have been drawn in the other group. Nevertheless, she will now try to better her previous result at the WTA Finals.