The WTA Finals hold a special place on the tennis calendar. It is one of the most coveted titles in women’s tennis, which is just about to start. This year’s championship will be a lot more special for the 19-year-old Coco Gauff. After winning her first Grand Slam title at the US Open, she is one of the eight tennis players who will be seen in action this year. Will she prevail?

For the first-round clash, the American teenage sensation will get a tough face-off from Ons Jabeur. Their match will mark the debut of each player in the year-end event. It could turn out to be a thriller as it is a match-up between the third-seeded and the seventh-seeded tennis players.

Coco Gauff vs Ons Jabeur: Preview 

The reigning US Open champion will square off against the 2023 Wimbledon finalist in the group stage of the year and the championship on Monday. The 19-year-old tennis player has been enjoying a great season since the beginning of the year. She started her victory run of the season by winning the ASB Classic in Auckland and then made it to the fourth round of the Australian Open.

Although most of her clay swing was not that great, she returned to her tough form when she started her hard court run. Even though she was able to make it to the quarterfinals of the French Open, Gauff ended up winning her first Grand Slam title. On the other hand, an injury somewhere prevented the Tunisian tennis star from gaining good momentum for most of the season.

While her early hardcourt swing upset her fans, she kept going and clinched her first title of the season at the Charleston Open. She made it to the semi-finals in Stuttgart but apparently had to retire due to an injury. Moreover, she played in the French Open and made it to the final eight of the tournament. Her major highlight of the season came when she played in the Wimbledon final for the second year in a row.

Since then, she has won the Ningbo Open but hasn’t won any consecutive matches in the meantime. So let’s take a look at what this match will look like by peeking into their head-to-head counts.

Coco Gauff vs Ons Jabeur: head-to-head

Both of them have faced each other five times on the tennis court and have faced tough competition every time they stood against each other. While the American leads the head-to-head count by winning three out of five encounters, the 29-year-old is also not behind. The last time both of them squared off was in Berlin when Jabeur won with a clear victory.

READ MORE – Coco Gauff’s Injury Report – Is She Fully Fit to Play the WTA Finals in Cancun?

However, they first met on the court in 2020, when Gauff defeated the Tunisian tennis player in the Top Seed Open. But since the Wimbledon final this year, Jabeur has not been in great form. At the US Open, she made a fourth-round exit after losing to Qinwen Zheng. But then, although she has participated in San Diego, Guadalajara, Beijing, and Zhengzhou, victory was a distant goal.

Prediction: Coco Gauff to take the victory lap 

Ons Jabeur’s health has been a concern, but if she gets better soon, she could be a challenge to Gauff. The third-ranked tennis player, however, has the upper hand in their closed rivalry, which makes this match more exciting and fascinating than their prior encounters. However, it’s undeniable that the 19-year-old tennis player is enthusiastic and full of energy right now.

Coco Gauff, who is closing in on the top spot, will undoubtedly give it her all in both the match and the competition. She feels more confident about giving her best now that she has solidity in her forehand. Her athleticism is therefore still a crucial component of her game. However, Jabeur’s cunning skill to vary her blows frequently has to be watched out by Gauff.

Nonetheless, it won’t be wrong to say that Coco Gauff will have the upper hand in the first-round clash. What do you think about the match? Share your thoughts in the comment section below.

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