Tennis-Gauff takes confidence from Wuhan triumph ahead of WTA Finals title defence

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(Reuters) -Coco Gauff said her victory at the Wuhan Open on Sunday had boosted her confidence after a disappointing run of results, as the American prepares to defend her title at the season-ending WTA Finals in Riyadh next month.

Gauff defeated compatriot Jessica Pegula 6-4 7-5 in the final of the WTA 1000 event to clinch her 11th career WTA singles title.

It was the 21-year-old’s first title since winning the French Open in June, and came after a series of uninspired performances which included a fourth-round defeat by Naomi Osaka in the U.S. Open.

“This definitely gives me a lot more confidence going into the WTA finals, after the way the mid-part of the season went for me, especially in New York,” Gauff told WTA media.

“It gives me a lot of confidence to try to defend that title. Obviously, winning it last year, I know how tough it is to do, so I’m just going to take it match by match and hopefully I can end up with the trophy.”

Gauff, who did not drop a set in Wuhan, has won all nine of her finals on hard courts.

“I definitely think it’s the surface I’m most true to,” the two-times Grand Slam winner added. “Growing up I liked the sureness of bounces and the sureness of knowing when I’m going to stop and when I’m going to go.

“A lot of people think (my best surface) is clay. I don’t know my favourite surface. I feel like it’s still going to be hard court, for me.”

On Sunday, Gauff became the first woman in a decade to win nine consecutive hardcourt finals, a feat last achieved by Serena Williams, who won 12 between 2013-15.

“I didn’t know that was a stat, so I’ll try not to think about it if I’m in another hardcourt final to keep that record going,” she said.

(Reporting by Aadi Nair in Bengaluru; Editing by Peter Rutherford)