Gigo Salmon column: Coco Gauff’s unbelievable psychological power at WTA Finals and tennis in Saudi Arabia | Tennis Information

I am penning this at Istanbul airport as we await our connection to Turin and, having left for the airport in Riyadh at 5am on Sunday morning after two hours sleep, please excuse any unhealthy spelling or random musings, though in the case of camel rides that’s meant to be in right here!

By the point you are studying this, we might be on the brink of carry you Monday’s protection from Day 2 of the ATP Tour Finals.

As we await our flight a debate is in full swing among the many staff as to who’s the best British sports activities particular person, and also you wont be stunned to know that Andy Murray has had a couple of mentions! Fingers are beginning to be pointed and lack of sleep may result in some attention-grabbing dialogue however it’s a great way of passing the time.

Whereas the controversy continues I’ll get to the tennis and as an alternative of ready till the ATP Finals have been completed, with our journey to Saudi Arabia and the WTA Finals nonetheless contemporary in my thoughts, I wished to look again on the WTA’s season-ending match.

It was per week that was topped off with a incredible last, the youngest WTA Finals showpiece since 2004 when Serena Williams confronted Maria Sharapova, with this yr’s version seeing the youngest winner in 20-year-old Coco Gauff.

Gauff got here from a set all the way down to beat Olympic Gold Medallist, 22 yr outdated Qinwen Zheng in simply over three hours, 3-6 6-4 7-6 (7-2). It was Gauff’s largest last and now largest title since profitable the US Open in 2023. On her approach to the ultimate she beat the highest two gamers on this planet in Aryna Sabalenka who finishes the yr as world No 1 and Iga Swiatek.

Gauff has nicely documented areas in her recreation that may breakdown within the forehand and serve, however her psychological power is second to none, she attracts power from negativity and is doing issues her approach and in her personal time.

In latest instances, she has made some teaching adjustments with the addition of Jean-Christophe Faurel and Matt Daly who specialises in grip adjustments, one thing they’ve already began along with her serve.

And whereas talking to us reside on Sky Sports activities Tennis after the ultimate saying that she is exhausted, she informed Laura Robson on media day that when the season is lastly over she’s off to a music competition, and she will be able to’t wait.

Saudi Arabia transferring in proper path with girls’s sport

So far as the finals being performed in Saudi Arabia, one thing that generated numerous dialogue and headlines when it was introduced, whereas there’s nonetheless numerous work to be performed earlier than we see the change that’s spoken of occur, it does look as if issues are transferring in the precise path in the case of getting girls engaged in and enjoying sport.

The final 10 days noticed gamers previous and current maintain teaching clinics, make themselves as seen as potential and see for themselves the place the nation is and the place it desires to go. As at all times it is what occurs when everybody leaves when the match is finished, but it surely does sound from talking to a varied those that whereas not transferring on the velocity many would really like it to alter is occurring and the WTA being there’s a constructive transfer.

We did get the prospect to discover just a little and for Laura and I that meant sand dunes, quad bikes and camel driving. A 4.30am departure from the resort meant we acquired to see the dawn, then got here the quad bikes and eventually the camels.

I used to be planning on giving this half a miss having ridden one years in the past and being pretty unimpressed, however I used to be ushered ahead and earlier than I knew it, I used to be getting on a camel with Laura, as there have been 4 of us and solely three camels. The extra I politely declined the provide of getting on the extra they weren’t taking no for a solution, so then it occurred, the phrases I by no means thought I might hear myself say: ‘Laura can I trip in your camel with you!’

As soon as the season lastly shuts down, which it does for a really transient period of time, I’ll look again on the yr and forward to 2025 however I feel it is honest to say that in the case of the ladies’s recreation it’s in good fingers.

Behind the scenes in Riyadh issues have been very busy throughout the staff, manufacturing supervisor James walked right into a window, pondering it was a door, Patrick spent the week avoiding nuts that he might or is probably not allergic too, and there have been nuts in most issues and Kirsty spent her first week with the tennis staff and we predict now we have received her over.

Sinner massive favorite for ATP Finals

Whereas we have been away Cam Norrie had a great finish to the season, reaching the ultimate in Metz, whereas Katie Boulter would wrap up her yr at a career-high rating of twenty third.

Subsequent cease Turin, which is underneath approach and for the primary time since 2001 it does not characteristic a member of the Massive Three following Novak Djokovic’s withdrawal. The prize pot is identical as for the WTA Finals, $15.25m (£11.83m) unfold throughout the singles and doubles with an undefeated singles champion strolling away with $4.8m (£3.7m).

So to predictions and now we have been requested who will make the ultimate in Turin, who will win and our shock package deal.

Nobody is giving something away as to who they’ve chosen, however I can’t think about that anybody will stray removed from world No 1 Jannik Sinner.

I hope you may be part of us – we might be with you reside day-after-day from Turin, the place the match will characteristic a day and an evening session and, after totally admitting they weren’t on it with their predictions in Riyadh, Laura and Tim have promised to step issues up, so be part of us on Sky Sports activities Tennis.

And as I end this Lennox Lewis has been thrown into our debate concerning the best British sportsperson…

Monday on the Nitto ATP Finals on Sky Sports activities Tennis

• 4-time Grand Slam champion Carlos Alcaraz opens towards Casper Ruud at 1pm (GMT) in John Newcombe Group
• New world No 2 Alexander Zverev takes on Andrey Rublev from 7.30pm

Sky Sports activities+ has formally launched and might be built-in into Sky TV, streaming service NOW and the Sky Sports activities app, giving Sky Sports activities clients entry to over 50 per cent extra reside sport this yr at no further value. Discover out extra right here.