Coco Gauff won her third WTA 1000 title at the Wuhan Open on Sunday, beating Jessica Pegula in straight sets in an all-American final. The 21-year-old secured the championship without dropping a set throughout the tournament, claiming the title with a 6-4, 7-5 victory in one hour and 42 minutes. After the match, Gauff made revealing comments about her strategy and respect for her opponent’s recent form.
What Did Coco Gauff Say to Jessica Pegula After Winning Wuhan Open?
The final showcased contrasting paths to the championship match. Gauff dominated throughout the tournament, dropping only 16 games across five matches to reach the final. Pegula took a much tougher route, battling through eight consecutive three-set matches during her time in China, winning seven of them.
In the final, Gauff started strong by taking a 3-0 lead in the first set before Pegula fought back to level at 4-4. Gauff then broke serve again to claim the opening set 6-4 in 48 minutes. The second set proved more challenging as Pegula jumped to a 3-0 double break advantage after Gauff hit six double faults. However, Gauff showed her resilience by drawing level and then winning four consecutive games after trailing 5-3 to secure the victory.
During the trophy ceremony, Gauff addressed Pegula directly with admiration and strategic honesty. “You’re the three-set queen, so I was determined not to let you get there today because I felt like the odds would be in your favour in the third set,” Gauff said.
COCO WINS IN WUHAN! 🤩@CocoGauff beats Pegula 6-4, 7-5 to win the title 🏆#WuhanOpen pic.twitter.com/TkLv8p9ru4
— wta (@WTA) October 12, 2025
This nickname perfectly captured Pegula’s extraordinary resilience during the Asian swing, where she had won six out of seven straight three-set matches, including her stunning semifinal comeback against world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka.
Pegula Ended Sabalenka’s Historic Wuhan Campaign to Reach the Finals
Pegula’s path to the final included one of the tournament’s most memorable matches when she ended Sabalenka’s incredible 20-match winning streak in Wuhan. The American rallied from a 5-2 deficit in the deciding set to defeat the defending champion 2-6, 6-4, 7-6(2) in the semifinals. This victory marked Sabalenka’s first defeat in Wuhan and ended her run of 19 consecutive tiebreak wins.
Following her triumph, Gauff revealed that she almost missed the opportunity to compete in Wuhan entirely. Her coach Jean-Christophe Faurel had advised her to skip the Asian swing after her disappointing fourth-round exit at the US Open.
The decision to defy her coach’s advice proved successful as Gauff reached the semifinals in Beijing the previous week before capturing the Wuhan title. This victory made her the first player in the Open Era to win her first nine hard-court finals and only the second American to claim the Wuhan Open title after Venus Williams in 2015. The championship also marked Gauff’s second title of 2025, following her French Open victory in June.
