Coco Gauff capped off a spectacular Asian swing in style on Sunday, defeating fellow American Jessica Pegula 6-4, 7-5 to claim the 2025 Wuhan Open title. The victory marks the 21-year-old’s second title of the season, her third career WTA 1000 crown, and her 11th overall singles title.
The world No. 3, who hadn’t lifted a trophy since her Roland-Garros triumph in June, produced a commanding performance at the Optics Valley International Tennis Centre. Gauff powered through the tournament without dropping a set, finishing off her final in 1 hour and 42 minutes.
“I’d like to thank my team– it was a great Asian swing,” Gauff said in her on-court interview. “I’m going to call JC [Jean-Christophe Faurel, her coach] out here. He originally didn’t want me to come because I had a tough US Open, but I had to prove him wrong. I’m a very stubborn person – maybe he said that on purpose for me to have a good result here.”
A Battle Between Friends and Rivals
Sunday’s match marked the first-ever WTA final meeting between Gauff and Pegula, who have long shared a strong partnership in doubles, including a run at the Paris 2024 Olympics. But there was no room for sentiment once the match began.
Gauff came out of the gates fast, winning the first six points and jumping to a 3-0 lead. Pegula, seeded sixth, fought back to level the score at 4-4 with a pinpoint backhand winner, but Gauff wrestled back control and closed out the opening set in 47 minutes.
Pegula, who had battled through eight consecutive three-set matches during the Asian swing, again looked ready to dig deep. She broke Gauff twice to take a 3-0 lead in the second set, capitalizing on six double faults from her opponent. But the 2023 US Open champion refused to fold, breaking back and reeling off four consecutive games from 3-5 down to seal the title with a forehand winner.
“You’re the three-set queen,” Gauff joked to Pegula during the trophy ceremony. “So I was determined not to let you get there today because I felt like the odds would be in your favour in a third set.”
Pegula’s Grit Shines Through Despite Loss
While Pegula finished runner-up in Wuhan, her performance confirmed her place at the WTA Finals in Riyadh. The 31-year-old also reached the semi-finals in Beijing, completing a physically and mentally demanding swing with back-to-back deep runs.
“It’s our first final, so that was a lot of fun being able to play,” Pegula said. “I don’t think I’ve played this many hours in such a short amount of time and actually felt good, so thanks to my team and my fitness coach John [Opfer].”
Making History on Hard Courts
With her win, Coco Gauff became the first player in the Open Era to win her first nine hard-court finals- an impressive feat that underlines her growing dominance on the surface.
The Florida native now heads into the WTA Finals not only as the top-ranked American woman, but also as one of the favorites to capture the prestigious year-end crown.
After a difficult US Open, Gauff admitted she needed a spark– and found one in Asia. Her decision to play, despite her coach’s reservations, has clearly paid off.
“I’m proud of the way I stayed strong,” she said. “It’s been a great few weeks, and I’m looking forward to finishing the year strong in Riyadh.”
Also Read: Wuhan Open Roll Of Honour: Meet All-Time Winners
How Much Did Coco Gauff Earn With Wuhan Open Title Victory?
Gauff took home $596,000 for her title victory in Wuhan. Pegula, secured $351,003 for her runner-up finish, while semifinalists Aryna Sabalenka and Jasmine Paolini earned $180,100 each. Quarterfinalists, including Iga Swiatek, Elena Rybakina, Katerina Siniakova, and Laura Siegemund earned $83,250, with other payouts ranging from $41,500 in the round of 16 down to $16,860 for first-round exits.
Further, Coco Gauff earned 1,000 WTA ranking points, raising her total by 610 points to 7,873, putting her just 895 points behind World No. 2 Iga Swiatek. Pegula’s 650-point haul elevated her to World No. 5, surpassing Mirra Andreeva. Semifinalists Sabalenka and Paolini earned 390 points, while quarterfinalists Swiatek, Rybakina, Siniakova, and Siegemund each received 215 points. Points for earlier exits ranged from 120 for the last 16, 65 for second-round losses to 10 for first-round eliminations.
Here is the breakdown of prize money and ranking points at Wuhan Open 2025:
| Round | Prize Money | Points |
| Champion | $596,000 | 1,000 |
| Runner-up | $351,003 | 650 |
| Semi-finalists | $180,100 | 390 |
| Quarter-finalists | $83,250 | 215 |
| Round of 16 | $41,500 | 120 |
| Round 2 | $23,450 | 65 |
| Round 1 | $16,860 | 10 |
