Titled at the start of the year in Auckland, Coco Gauff will therefore have had to wait eight months before finding a final on the WTA circuit. But the 19-year-old American (No. 7) did not miss her chance in front of her audience. So here she is in the final of the Washington Open after dismissing defending champion Liudmila Samsonova in two authoritative sets on Saturday (6-3, 6-3). Once the match point was won on a foul by her opponent, she finally allowed herself a smile.
It must be said that, until then, Gauff had been very concentrated, not letting anything show and not dispersing in any way. Particularly effective in return (64% of points in return for second service), Gauff immediately put pressure on his opponent who gave up his commitment from his first game of service (2-0). Very diligent and visibly determined to be less wait-and-see, Gauff kept her advantage until the end of the first set.
The scenario for the second set was going to be the same with a quick break from Gauff leading 2-1. Samsonova was constantly under pressure and reacted only with her back to the wall. It was insufficient against this very authoritarian Gauff who was going to dismiss five break points in this set. And it was on a third break that she completed the match.
Here she is in the running for a fourth title which would also be the most important of her career. For that, he will have to overcome Maria Sakkari, Jessica Pegula’s faller, on Sunday.