At the climax of the WTA season, in the Tour Finals in Riyadh, two forces are set to go head-to-head for the championship title: Coco Gauff, the rising American star ranked No. 3, and China's No. 7-ranked Qinwen Zheng. Both have shown grit and consistency, dispatching some of the toughest competitors on the tour to make it to the final. This high-stakes match presents not only an opportunity for Gauff to entrench herself at the summit of women's tennis, but also an excellent chance for Zheng to make her mark on the global stage with her maiden Finals title.
Claim Welcome BonusMatch Preview
The final pits two players of contrasting styles against each other, and that suggests an intense match. Quick and tactically astute, Gauff has risen steadily this year. She goes into the final off of a confident win over Aryna Sabalenka, showing remarkable resilience with a defensive style that frustrates opponents. On the opposite side of the net, Zheng's upset win over Barbora Krejcikova last week showed an aggressive serve and stout baseline game that has fueled her current three-match winning streak. The only previous meeting this year between the two players saw Gauff emerge victorious in straight sets, but Zheng has continued working on her game, and in the final, she presents a completely different kind of threat.
Tactical Approach
Coco Gauff: Her speed and court coverage will be put to task as she tries to counter the strong serves and baseline shots from Zheng. The great return game-56% first-serve returns-also needs to be a barnburner if she is to cancel out Zheng's high win rate off her first serve. Deep, angled returns could allow her to disrupt Zheng's rhythm and make long rallies that will, finally, test her defensive skills.
Qinwen Zheng: Her serve is indeed the most powerful weapon for Zheng as she recently recorded a performance of 9 aces and won 78% of the first-serve points. She will probably be looking to cut down the points by heavy serving and forehands to prevent Gauff from getting into her defensive rhythm. The first-serve percentage of Zheng stands at 56%, which can prove to be a double-edged sword since a lot will depend on maintaining that consistency in order for her to keep Gauff under pressure. She'll want to boss the middle of the court, making Gauff race for those wide shots and forcing the errors upon her.
Expert Betting Tips
The match is finely poised with both players bringing their different strengths into it. Arguably, the more defensive game of Gauff and her ability to change up under pressure gives her a slight edge, especially when the match goes into long rallies and tactical interchanges. This was well demonstrated during her victory over Sabalenka, where improvements on the fronts of patience and precision were clearly in evidence. On the other hand, Zheng's formidable serve and high first-serve point win rate make her a formidable opponent when it comes to short points.
Coupled with the fresh experience in high-intensity matches, the flexibility of Gauff should grant her the stamina required to outlast Zheng's power-slammed game. The fact that she can read Zheng from the previous match could be an added advantage.
With Zheng's aggressive serving, she could take a set, particularly early; experience and consistent play from Gauff in the critical moments may see her closing out in three sets.
Both players should be able to hold serve at times and also put pressure on their opponent, which could make for a three-set encounter. With Zheng's powerful service game and the fact that Gauff is quite resilient, a higher total number of games seems likely.
- Over 21 Games @ 1.61 Odds
- Coco Gauff Wins @ 1.51 Odds
- Coco Gauff Wins 2-1 @ 3.60 Odds
Other predictions
