Coco Gauff is still succeeding and being victorious in tournaments, that is, a new one and the third one in her career, the third being at the WTA 1000 level, just 21 years old, and the third spot in the ranking is the contest that she turned in and Gauff’s victory, and on that day in Wuhan, October 12th, she was honored with her 11th title. 

How It All Went Down?

The match was opened with Gauff being very convincing and confident in the first set. She took the early lead, and at the end of the set, she won it with a score of 6-4. However, the second set became really exciting when Pegula joined the battle and played with great passion and energy.

Here’s what happened in that crazy second set:

• Pegula jumped ahead 3-0 with a double break
• Gauff fought back but still trailed 3-5
• She then held serve when down 5-3 to stay alive
• Gauff broke Pegula to love and tied things at 5-5​

The whole match lasted one hour and 44 minutes, and Gauff never dropped a set during the entire tournament. She became the first woman ever to start her career 9-0 in hard court finals. That’s a record that speaks volumes about her ability to perform when everything’s on the line.​

What Makes This Title Special

Gauff did not look at this event as just another tournament. It was a very successful season for Gauff! She snatched up the third WTA 1000 title and the second trophy of 2025, having already won the French Open in June. The American athlete was also only the second to achieve the amazing feat of gaining titles in both the China Open and Wuhan Open tournaments. The first one was Caroline Garcia in 2017.​

 

It was 2015 when Venus Williams, the last American, won the Wuhan tournament. Hence, Gauff brought an end to a decade-old wait for the return of an American champion there.​

 

The fans who follow such high-profile international tournaments on digital platforms like Kheloexch can get a fair idea of the high standards of WTA 1000 events. Year by year, the competition gets tougher, and more skilled athletes can take the title without losing a single set—that is nothing less than sheer power showing up.​

 

The Backstory Gets Interesting

Post-game, Gauff has a nice thing to say about her coach, Jean-Christophe Falla. He actually said to her that she shouldn’t go on this Asian tour after having a hard time at the US Open. But Gauff confessed that she was quite headstrong and went on to prove him wrong.

“I can be quite obstinate,” Gauff said during her speech. She even joked that maybe her coach said that on purpose just to fire her up. Well, if that was the plan, it worked perfectly because she dominated the whole tournament.​

What Pegula Brought to the Table

Jessica Pegula went through a lot to get to the final. In the semifinals, the 31-year-old defeated world number one Aryna Sabalenka. With this loss, Sabalenka’s remarkable 20-match victory streak in Wuhan has been stopped. Pegula had to play all her matches in the tournament for three sets, and she prevailed in seven of her last eight three-setters leading up to the final.​

 

Pegula was after her tenth career title but fell short again. In fact, this was the first time the two American athletes met in a final although they have played each other seven times before. They also used to play together in doubles and won a few titles together that way.​

A Display of Friendship

The trophy ceremony greatly emphasized the respect between the two athletes. Gauff thanked Pegula for being one of the first people to greet her when she came to the tour. “It’s really meaningful for me,” Gauff said giving Pegula her attention.​

 

Pegula reciprocated by saying that Gauff is very mature for her age. These two, with the 21-to-31 age difference, have established a strong friendship. Even Kheloexch followers agree that when there is this much sportsmanship among the athletes, the rivalry is even more enjoyable to watch.

Looking at the Numbers

Let’s break down some key stats from this match and tournament:

• Gauff’s record in finals improved to 11-3
• Pegula’s final record dropped to 9-11
• This was their seventh meeting overall
• Pegula leads the head-to-head 4-3​

Gauff also matched a Serena record by going 9-0 in hard court finals to start her career. That’s some serious company to be mentioned alongside, and it shows Gauff’s potential for even bigger things ahead.​

Where She Goes From Here

Having this title in her pocket, Gauff will be the highest-ranked American athlete at the WTA Finals in Riyadh. She was the champion of that same tournament last year, so she will be the one to defend her title. The energy from Wuhan is predicted to be a very good support to her, especially since she has already demonstrated that she can deal with such pressure situations as being down 5-3 in a final matches.​

 

This time her determination was a big factor and sometimes such a trait is the very thing that differentiates champions from others. Gauff affirmed her fighter’s spirit by not giving Pegula a third set, even though she was aware that her opponent had been excelling in those situations all week.