Coco Gauff surprises Aryna Sabalenka and plays for the WTA Finals title

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia – Coco Gauff defeated top seed Aryna Sabalenka on Friday to set up a showdown with Olympic champion Zheng Qinwen in the final of the WTA Finals.

Gauff scored six break points to Sabalenka’s four in the 7:6 (4) and 6:3 win and used the early momentum in the tiebreak of the first set, which she carried through to the second set.

At 20, she is the youngest player to reach the final of the WTA Finals since Caroline Wozniacki in 2010.

Zheng previously defeated Wimbledon champion Barbora Krejcikova 6-3, 7-5 to book her place in Saturday’s final.

Zheng continued her remarkable season by reaching the decider in her first appearance. The Chinese player has won 31 of her 36 matches since Wimbledon, more than anyone else on the tour.

Zheng hit nine aces as she defeated Krejcikova in 1 hour and 40 minutes.