Aryna Sabalenka’s hunt for glory in Riyadh rumbled on with a statement win over Coco Gauff, dismantling the World No.3 by 7–6(5), 6–2 to seal her place at the top of the group and into the WTA Finals semifinals. For Gauff, however, the defending champion’s campaign stops here.
With Jessica Pegula having cruised past Jasmine Paolini earlier, the equation was simple yet cruel: Sabalenka needed a set to qualify, Gauff needed perfection. And for a fleeting stretch, the American looked capable of it.
Gauff Starts Fast, Sabalenka Bides Her Time
Gauff raced to a 2–0 lead, her footwork crisp, her backhand biting. But Sabalenka, ever the storm waiting to break, punished Gauff’s missed chances and levelled. When Gauff surged again for 3–2, she even held three chances to go up a double break — a moment that might have rewritten the night.
She didn’t take them. Serving at 5–3, with the set in her hands, Gauff blinked. Sabalenka didn’t. From 30–0 down, the Belarusian flipped the script, broke back, and dragged the opener into a tiebreak. There, the World No.1’s power and poise finally overran Gauff’s defences — six of the last seven points went her way claiming it 7-5.
Sabalenka vs Gauff – Set One Stats
| Statistic | Sabalenka | Gauff |
|---|---|---|
| Dominance Ratio | 1.01 | 0.99 |
| Serve Rating | 259 | 271 |
| Aces | 2 | 1 |
| Double Faults | 0 | 1 |
| 1st Serve % | 81% (34/42) | 72% (26/36) |
| 1st Serve Points Won | 71% (24/34) | 62% (16/26) |
| 2nd Serve Points Won | 38% (3/8) | 70% (7/10) |
| Break Points Saved | 60% (3/5) | 33% (1/3) |
| Ace % | 4.8% | 2.8% |
| Double Fault % | 0% | 2.8% |
| Return Rating | 168 | 165 |
| 1st Return Points Won | 38% (10/26) | 29% (10/34) |
| 2nd Return Points Won | 30% (3/10) | 63% (5/8) |
| Break Points Won | 67% (2/3) | 40% (2/5) |
| Pressure Points | 63% (5/8) | 38% (3/8) |
| Service Points | 64% (27/42) | 64% (23/36) |
| Return Points | 36% (13/36) | 36% (15/42) |
| Total Points | 51% (40/78) | 49% (38/78) |
| Match Points Saved | 0 | 0 |
| Max Points In A Row | 8 | 6 |
| Max Games In A Row | 3 | 2 |
| Set 1 Duration | 0h 56m | |
Momentum Turns Ruthless
The second set was pure Sabalenka — fast, forceful, final. She tore through the opening games, dropping just three points across the first three for a 4–0 lead. Gauff briefly clawed back a break, overturning a 0–40 deficit, but the recovery was short-lived.
Sabalenka broke again, this time for good, and served out the win with her trademark authority.
Sabalenka vs Gauff – Set Two Stats
| Statistic | Sabalenka | Gauff |
|---|---|---|
| Dominance Ratio | 1.78 | 0.56 |
| Serve Rating | 263 | 131 |
| Aces | 1 | 1 |
| Double Faults | 1 | 5 |
| 1st Serve % | 68% (19/28) | 60% (12/20) |
| 1st Serve Points Won | 63% (12/19) | 50% (6/12) |
| 2nd Serve Points Won | 57% (4/7) | 0% (0/8) |
| Break Points Saved | 50% (1/2) | 0% (0/3) |
| Ace % | 3.6% | 5% |
| Double Fault % | 3.6% | 25% |
| Return Rating | 325 | 155 |
| 1st Return Points Won | 50% (6/12) | 37% (7/19) |
| 2nd Return Points Won | 100% (8/8) | 43% (3/7) |
| Break Points Won | 100% (3/3) | 50% (1/2) |
| Pressure Points | 80% (4/5) | 20% (1/5) |
| Service Points | 61% (17/28) | 30% (6/20) |
| Return Points | 70% (14/20) | 39% (11/28) |
| Total Points | 65% (31/48) | 35% (17/48) |
| Match Points Saved | 0 | 0 |
| Max Points In A Row | 7 | 5 |
| Max Games In A Row | 4 | 2 |
| Set 2 Duration | 0h33m | |
Three matches, three wins, one set lost — and a sense of inevitability about her march.
What It Means for Riyadh — and Beyond
For Gauff, the loss to Pegula earlier in the week had left her with too much to chase. The effort was there, the execution wavered, and Riyadh will not bring the defence she hoped for.
Sabalenka, meanwhile, looks primed for her first WTA Finals crown. Next, the World No.1 faces Amanda Anisimova in a rematch of their US Open final, while Pegula meets Elena Rybakina for the other spot in Sunday’s showdown.
Riyadh may yet belong to Sabalenka — if her fire holds and her forehand keeps finding the lines, few will stop her. But she isn’t there yet.