WTA Finals 2024: Coco Gauff vs Aryna Sabalenka preview, head-to-head, prediction, and pick
Match Details
Fixture: Coco Gauff vs Aryna Sabalenka
Date: November 8, 2024
Tournament: WTA Finals 2024
Round: Semifinals
Venue: King Saud University Indoor Arena, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Category: Year-end championships
Surface: Hard (Indoor)
Prize Money: $15.25 million
Live Telecast: USA - Tennis Channel |U K - Sky Sports | Canada - TSN
Coco Gauff vs Aryna Sabalenka preview
Third seed Coco Gauff will take on Aryna Sabalenka in the second semifinal of the WTA Finals on Friday, (Nov. 8).
Gauff has successfully established herself as a top competitor in recent years. After semifinal runs in Melbourne and Paris, she captured her first WTA 1000 title of the season in Beijing. She outfoxed Karolina Muchova in straight sets to win the China Open.
The American entered Riyadh on the back of a semifinal exit in Wuhan. She started her campaign with splendid wins over Jessica Pegula and Iga Swiatek in the first two bouts but ran out of gas against Barbora Krejcikova in the third. The Czech defeated Gauff 7-5, 6-4 and booked her place in the semifinals.
Aryna Sabalenka, meanwhile, has been the best player on tour this year. She added two Major titles to her locker in Melbourne and New York and also clinched two WTA 1000 events in Wuhan and Cincinnati. She outclassed Zheng Qinwen in three sets to win the Wuhan Open, 6-3, 5-7, 6-3.
The Belarusian started her campaign in Riyadh with potent wins over Jasmine Paolini and Zheng Qinwen in the first two rounds. She almost maintained her 100% record this week, but Elena Rybakina outlasted her in the third group stage match, 6-4, 3-6, 6-1.
Coco Gauff vs Aryna Sabalenka head-to-head
The head-to-head between Gauff and Sabalenka is poised at 4-4. The Belarusian won their most recent encounter at the 2024 Wuhan Open.
Coco Gauff vs Aryna Sabalenka odds
Odds will be updated when available.
Coco Gauff vs Aryna Sabalenka prediction
While Aryna Sabalenka had already cemented her place in the last four, Coco Gauff survived a minor scare to continue her run in the WTA Finals. The American will be eager to get some rest and compete at her full potential against Sabalenka. Despite her loss against Krejcikova last night, she's been playing pretty well in the past few weeks.
The Belarusian, on the contrary, avenged her disappointing loss in New York last year by having Gauff's number twice this season already. She's constantly been raising the bar for her peers on tour and will be keen to garner a valuable result this week.
Both players have had some interesting battles in the past and will be eager to stamp their authority on Friday. Sabalenka is most likely to play an offensive brand of tennis, but if the American can stretch the rallies and hold her nerve during crucial moments, she could have a say in this bout. The Belarusian will be a favorite to come out on top, but Gauff might just find the right balance to upset the top seed and continue her run this week.
Pick: Gauff to win in three sets.