At the WTA Finals, Barbora Krejcikova defeated Coco Gauff 7-5, 6-4 in their crucial final round-robin match, which ended Iga Świątek’s hopes of defending her title. Despite two wins in her group, the Polish star finished in third place, relying on Gauff to beat Krejcikova to advance, a result that ultimately didn’t come to pass.
Gauff entered the match as the favourite, having dominated her earlier games, but Krejcikova, who had suffered an opening loss to Świątek, found her rhythm and delivered a strong performance to secure the win. The Czech’s patience and tactical play proved more effective as Gauff faltered, delivering her weakest match of the tournament.
With Krejcikova’s victory, Świątek was eliminated from the tournament. She finished third in her group, behind Krejcikova and Gauff. This result meant the defending champion would not have the chance to repeat her 2023 triumph, as Krejcikova and Gauff claimed the semifinal spots. Krejcikova now faces Qinwen Zheng, while Gauff will meet Aryna Sabalenka.