In a high-stakes showdown at the 2025 WTA Finals in Riyadh, defending champion Coco Gauff saw her title defense come to an end, eliminated from the tournament by World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka with a score of 7-6(5), 6-2.

The match was a winner-takes-all contest for a spot in the semifinals, and despite a fiercely competitive first set where Gauff was giving her all. The victory secured Sabalenka’s perfect 3-0 record in the round-robin stage of the Steffi Graf Group and solidified her position as the player to beat, while for Gauff, the loss marked a costly slip that closed her chapter on the 2025 season finale.

With Gauff’s exit, the mantle of American hopes now rests squarely on the shoulders of Jessica Pegula and Amanda Anisimova, who stand as the nation’s last contenders in the competit

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