Coco Gauff poses for a photograph together with her trophy after she beat Spain’s Viktoria Masarova within the ultimate of the ASB Basic tennis occasion.
| Photograph Credit score: AP
High-seeded American Coco Gauff has capped a commanding begin to the brand new season Sunday by beating Spanish qualifer Viktoria Masarova 6-1, 6-1 within the ultimate of the ASB Basic.
Gauff claimed her third WTA Tour title however her first in years on exhausting courts, boosting her confidence forward of the Australian Open.
The match was punctuated by one other of the lengthy rain breaks that has been typical of every week in Auckland by which matches both have been delayed or pressured indoors. The 18-year-old Gauff coped higher than most with the problem posed by the climate as a result of she has been used to rain interruptions by the tropical local weather of her native Florida.
She didn’t drop a set all week, although she confronted robust matches in opposition to former Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin and seventh-seeded Danka Kovinic.
“It’s been a great week for me despite the rain,” Gauff stated. “I couldn’t ask for a better start to my season.
“It’s my first title on hard courts since I was 15 so it’s lovely to finally do well on a surface that I love.” Gauff has seemed in excellent kind all match, constructing her sport behind a robust serve. She was highly effective from the baseline and correct when she unleashed passing photographs.
Gauff got here to the online typically and decisively. Every time she did so she performed with function and executed ruthlessly, pinching off Masarova’s tried passes. Even when each gamers had been on the web within the fourth sport of the second set, Gauff stored her composure and lobbed her opponent to take the purpose.
Masarova, ranked No. 130, had an impressive week to succeed in her first WTA Tour ultimate. However she was taking part in her eighth straight sport and that effort might have informed. She tried the whole lot on Sunday however Gauff had a solution.
“I’m glad I was able to reach my first WTA final but I was disappointed with today’s match,” Masarova stated.
“I felt I couldn’t really play my game but Coco was playing amazing and didn’t really give me a chance.
“I had a lot of tough matches. I think that helped me stay physically good throughout the week but it was a long week with the stopping and starting. I think I warmed up about 25 times.”