COCO Gauff stated her triumph at the Wuhan Open on Sunday significantly boosted her confidence following a disappointing run of results.
The American now prepares to defend her title at the season-ending WTA Finals in Riyadh next month.
Gauff defeated compatriot Jessica Pegula 6-4 7-5 in the final of the WTA 1000 event to claim her 11th career WTA singles title.
This victory marked the 21-year-old’s first title since her French Open win in June.
It followed a series of uninspired performances including a fourth-round defeat by Naomi Osaka at the U.S. Open.
“This definitely gives me a lot more confidence going into the WTA finals, after the way the mid-part of the season went for me, especially in New York,“ Gauff told WTA media.
“It gives me a lot of confidence to try to defend that title.”
Gauff added that winning the WTA Finals last year showed her how tough it is to achieve.
She plans to take the tournament match by match and hopes to end up with the trophy again.
The American did not drop a single set throughout her campaign in Wuhan.
Gauff has now won all nine of her career finals played on hard courts.
“I definitely think it’s the surface I’m most true to,“ the two-time Grand Slam winner said.
She explained she likes the sureness of bounces and the predictability of movement on hard courts.
“A lot of people think (my best surface) is clay,“ Gauff noted.
She stated she does not know her favourite surface but still feels it is hard court for her.
On Sunday, Gauff became the first woman in a decade to win nine consecutive hardcourt finals.
Serena Williams last achieved this feat by winning 12 consecutive hardcourt finals between 2013 and 2015.
“I didn’t know that was a stat, so I’ll try not to think about it if I’m in another hardcourt final to keep that record going,“ she said. – Reuters