Coco Gauff triumphed over Elina Svitolina 6-7(4) 6-3 6-3 in the Auckland Classic final on Sunday, successfully defending her title.
She will enter the Australian Open with renewed confidence, aiming for a second Grand Slam victory.
Gauff, who burst onto the tennis scene at Wimbledon five years ago, had a remarkable 2023, securing her first major trophy at the US Open in September and reaching a career-high world ranking of number three.
As the top seed in Auckland, Gauff continued her momentum in the new season by winning the tune-up for the upcoming Australian Open, losing only one set, notably facing a tough challenge in the final against twice Melbourne Park quarter-finalist Svitolina.
Clinching her seventh career WTA singles trophy, Gauff stated, “This is my first time ever having to defend a title, so I’m really happy I was able to do it today.”
“This year’s tournament was a lot different," she said while expressing gratitude for the lively crowd. She added, “Last year it rained almost every single match, and we were playing indoors with just a few people watching, so it’s really cool to play in front of a packed crowd almost every match.”
The opening set saw both players dropping serve twice. Gauff faced a slight dip in her performance, missing two set points at 5-3, allowing Svitolina to stage a comeback and claim the early lead through a tie-break.
However, Gauff rallied in the next set, swiftly levelling the contest at one set apiece. In the decisive third set, she held her nerve, securing a crucial break in the eighth game and ultimately closing out the victory.
“It’s been a really great experience to play for the first time here.” Svitolina congratulated Gauff and her team for a strong start to the year, wishing them luck at the Australian Open.
Despite the tough loss, Svitolina expressed enjoyment in playing great matches, noting her impressive runs in the French Open quarter-finals and Wimbledon semi-finals last year.