Coco Gauff I was initially interested in playing He was in Saudi Arabia this week, but it’s hard to imagine he regrets taking the trip now.

20 year old young man won WTA Finals against Zheng Qinwen He clinched China’s first tournament title on Saturday.

Gauff lost the first set 3-6, but won the next two sets 6-4 and 7-6 (7-2), becoming the youngest winner of the tournament since 2004, when Maria Sharapova won at the age of 17.

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USA’s Coco Gauff holds the Billie Jean King Trophy after a three-set victory over China’s Qinwen Zheng in the Women’s Singles Final match on Day 8 of the 2024 WTA Finals in Riyadh as part of the Hologic WTA Tour at King Saud University Indoor November 9 Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia in 2024. (Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)

In the round-robin tournament, she defeated US Open runner-up Jessica Pegula, five-time grand slam winner Iga Swiatek, 2024 Wimbledon champion Barbora Krejčíková and 2024 US Open champion and World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka, whom Gauff defeated. went undefeated. inside 2023 US Open final.

But before the tournament, Gauff admitted she had “reservations” about playing in Saudi Arabia, citing the country’s treatment of women and the LGBTQ community.

“I’d be lying if I said I didn’t have any reservations. Obviously you know who I am and what I’m talking about. I was pretty much in every player meeting I could have with the WTA. One of the things I said was if we come here, we can’t come here, play our tournament and then leave, like we don’t have a real schedule or a real we have to have the plan,” Gauff said.

“Obviously, I’m a woman. I was very worried. My father was very worried about me coming here,” she added.

Gauff said she spoke with Princess Reema bint Bandar Al Saud to discuss the treatment of women there. Bandar Al Saud is a member of royalty in the country as his paternal grandfather is the former Crown Prince Sultan. He currently serves as the 11th Ambassador of Saudi Arabia to the United States.

Coco Gauff of the United States celebrates her point against Qinwen Zheng of China in the Women’s Singles Final match on Day 8 of the Riyadh 2024 WTA Finals as part of the Hologic WTA Tour at the King Saud University Indoor Arena in Riyadh on November 9, 2024, Saudi Arabia. . (Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)

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“We talked to a lot of women here in Saudi Arabia. One of them was Princess Reema. We had phone calls with her over and over about what would be the best approach to get into this different place where women — U.S. women — are never nice,” Gauff said.

But now Gauff feels a responsibility to improve the country’s human rights record.

I think sports can be a way to open doors for people. I think you have to see it to kind of want change. “For me, I think sports is the easiest way to promote this,” he said.

“I hope that the WTA will come here and promise to help the future Stars Program in Saudi Arabia over the next three years and to get more Saudi women particularly interested in the sport. I think their aim is to have a million people playing tennis here by 2030. I hope that with this people “He can see us, what we stand for, and hopefully that will lead to more equality.”

Coco Gauff of the USA hits a backhand against China’s Qinwen Zheng in the Women’s Singles Final match on Day 8 of the Riyadh 2024 WTA Finals as part of the Hologic WTA Tour at King Saud University Indoor Arena on November 9, 2024 in Riyadh. , Saudi Arabia. (Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)

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The victory caps off a 2024 season that saw Gauff lose two major semifinals and then suffer two more defeats in the Round of 16. She won her first doubles major at the French Open with New Zealand’s Erin Routliffe and will finish the season in third place. world ranked player.

Gauff was the flag bearer at last summer’s Olympics alongside LeBron James but lost in the third round of the tournament.

Fox News’ Jackson Thompson contributed to this report.

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