Gauff beats Pegula to win Wuhan Open title

Coco Gauff became the first player to win her first nine hard court finals as she beat Jessica Pegula in straight sets to win the Wuhan Open.

The 21-year-old world number three won 6-4 7-5 against her American compatriot to claim her 11th career singles title in total.

“I’d like to thank my team, it was a great Asian swing [of tournaments],” Gauff said in her victory speech.

“I’m going to call JC [her coach Jean-Christophe Faurel] out here; he originally didn’t want me to come because I had a tough US Open but I had to prove him wrong.

The French Open champion, who was making her second appearance at the Wuhan Open, trailed 3-0 in the second set but dug deep to reduce the deficit to 5-3 before claiming four straight games to seal victory.

At 5-4, Pegula had the chance to force a final-set decider on serve but was broken emphatically by a relentless Gauff.

“You’re the three-set queen,” she told Pegula on court, “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.”

Pegula had played in final-set deciders in all eight of her previous matches at the Wuhan Open, while Gauff had finished off all of hers in straight sets.

“It’s an honour to play you, as a friend and fellow American in the final,” added a gracious Pegula.