At the 2025 WTA Finals in Riyadh, Coco Gauff finally looked like herself again. The 20-year-old American beat Italy’s Jasmine Paolini 6-3, 6-2 to earn her first win of the group stage and keep her semifinal hopes alive. But more importantly, she showed real progress in the one area that has tested her for over a year: her serve.

This time, Gauff hit only three double faults. That’s a major step forward after her shaky opening match against Jessica Pegula. Her movements were sharp, her backhand steady, and she played with a purpose that had been missing just a few days earlier. Paolini wasn’t at her best physically, but Gauff didn’t waste the opportunity to reset her campaign. After the match, Gauff was asked how happy she was after winning. “ Yeah, I’m really happy with how I played toda

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