Coco Gauff’s 2024 started in teh best possible way. The young American tennis player conquered the first title of the season, winning the ASB Classic in Auckland (New Zealand) and thus confirming the title and points obtained in 2023. In the WTA 250 in Auckland, Coco played a very tough match against the Ukrainian tennis player Elina Svitolina. The strong balance in the first set – where on two occasions the American suffered a counter-break as soon as she had broken serve from her rival – dragged on until the tie-break. From 3-2 the Ukrainian took off and earned 4 set points, one of which she exploited.
Gauff and Svitolina© Hannah Peters / Staff Getty Images Sport
However, Gauff managed to rebalance the match in the following set, taking advantage of the three overall breaks granted by her rival and closing the set 6-3. In the decisive set, very balanced, especially on serve and from the baseline, Coco took advantage of the only break conceded by her rival, thus managing to break the balance and close the third set 6-3. With this victory, Gauff clinched her 7th career title, first of 2024 and 2nd at the ASB Classic in Auckland.
Rybakina destroyed Sabalenka, at the Brisbane International
Elena Rybakina triumphed in the final at the Brisbane International, in the first WTA 500 of the season, beating the WTA No.2 Aryna Sabalenka in straight sets. She did it in a dominated match, which was like a sort of revenge for the final lost last year against the Belarusian at the Australian Open 2023. A splendid journey for the Kazakh tennis player in the first tournament of the season. In fact, she has never conceded more than 5 games to the opponents who crossed her path, in the five matches played in Brisbane.
Rybakina and Sabalenka© Bradley Kanaris / Stringer Getty Images Sport
The statistic was also repeated in the final. The match was expected to be more competitive and tough, but instead it was dominated by the Kazakh tennis player. Rybakina immediately put Sabalenka in great difficulty, who was unable to contain the intensity brought to the court by her opponent from the first exchange. The Kazakh closed the first set 6-0 in less than half an hour of play. Sabalenka, who failed to even hold a tour of duty. In the second set the winner of the 2023 Australian Open tried to react but she once again found herself down a break twice. On 1-4 Sabalenka, broke free and began to keep her serve. but it was now too late. Rybakina defended the lead gained at the start of the half and has already won a title in 2024. Rybakina won her 6th career title, the first of 2024 and the second in Australia, after the Hobart International 2020.