The final of the WTA Masters Riyadh on Saturday will pit two debutants at this level of competition against each other: American Coco Gauff3rd in the WTA rankings, who beat the two best players in the world this week, and China’s Qinwen Zhengwho is enjoying the best season of her young career.

Gauff, Grand Slam champion at the US Open 2023 and semi-finalist this season in Australia and at Roland Garros, will start as slight favorite against the Paris-2024 Olympic champion, who is playing her first Masters in Riyadh. The two players have only met once on the circuit, in the quarter-finals of this season’s tournament in Rome. The American won in two sets (7-6, 6-1). “To be honest, I’m not really nervous.“, assured Gauff, judging that her simple qualification for the Masters was already a nice “reward“to crown her season. After beating world No.2 Iga Swiatek in her pool match, the 20-year-old Floridian defeated world No.1 Aryna Sabalenka in two sets on Friday, 7-6 (7/4), 6-3.

The first set was full of twists and turns. After dominating the early stages, Gauff missed two break points that would have given her a 4-2 lead. Suddenly more precise on serve, particularly on her first balls, Sabalenka instead managed to take her opponent’s serve at the end of the set to take control (6-5, serve to follow). But Gauff took advantage of her opponent’s numerous unforced errors to break immediately (6-6) and then dominate the tie-break, won 7-4.

The second set was more clearly in the American’s favor, as she quickly built up a comfortable lead (4-1). However, the sixth game still offered some entertainment, Sabalenka managing to take her opponent’s set on her eighth break point. Gauff was less hesitant when it came to the conclusion, winning the second set 6-3 on her first match point. Eliminated in the group stage in 2022, and a semi-finalist last year, she has now booked her place in the final in her third appearance at the Masters.

“Incredible”

China’s Qinwen Zheng, ranked 7th in the world, is new to the tournament, which brings together the season’s top eight players. In the semi-finals, she made short work of Czech Barbora Krejcikova (6-3, 7-5).

The 22-year-old Paris Olympic champion took control from the outset, breaking Krejcikova, ranked 13th in the world, on her first serve (2-0). Against the 28-year-old Czech, the Chinese player won the first set in 40 minutes with authority after another ace. She started the second set in the same way, with a break. Krejcikova, who had beaten Jessica Pegula and Coco Gauff – who had already qualified – to get out of her group, looked shaky this time, as evidenced by a double fault that saw her lose her serve again (3-0).

Zheng was then less frisky, losing her serve and giving her opponent hope. But after another unforced error from the Czech, the Chinese finally won on her second match point. “It’s my first Masters and I’m in the final, it’s incredible!“savored the Chinese player, who has “not panicked“after a late second set”complicated“.

The first Chinese player to emerge from the Masters pools since Li Na, a finalist in 2013, Zheng could be the first representative of her country to win this prestigious tournament, which brings together the best players of the season.