An injured Coco Gauff has pulled out of the Zhengzhou Open this week in China and also won’t compete in the Billie Jean King Cup finals next month as she focuses on the WTA Finals in Cancun, Mexico Oct. 29-Nov. 5.
“One of the goals that I set earlier in the year was for me to do well in the big events, do better on the 1000 level. I accomplished that goal. I’m really proud of myself,” she said at the China Open, where she lost to Iga Swiatek, 6-2, 6-3, in the semifinals on Saturday.
“I think that I have a lot to improve on. So I think that’s what makes me excited for next year. After WTA Finals I have some more weeks to really practice and improve. I do notice, like, my game gets better every time I go through even like a two-week break of just practicing.”
Gauff, who won her first Grand Slam title at the U.S. Open in September, was slated to play in Zhengzhou this week but pulled out with a shoulder injury suffered against Swiatek.
“It’s not a terrible injury,” she said after the loss, which snapped a 14-match winning streak. She added that her team told her she “will be fine with a little rest.”
When the roster for the Billie Jean Cup finals was announced on Monday, Gauff, the world No. 3, was not on it. Neither was her doubles partner, world No. 4 Jessica Pegula. Pegula tried to play the WTA Finals and the Billie Jean King Cup double last year but wore down and got sick at the Billie Jean King Cup in Fort Worth.
Both played at the Billie Jean King Cup qualifier against Austria in April in Gauff’s hometown of Delray Beach, Florida.
Madison Keys, Sofia Kenin, Danielle Collins, Sloane Stephens and Taylor Townsend will represent the USA in the Billie Jean King Cup finals, to be played November 7-12 on indoor hard courts at Estadio de La Cartuja in Seville, Spain.
Billie Jean King Cup is the World Cup of Tennis, and the six-day Finals will crown this year’s champion. The Finals will feature 12 teams drawn into four groups to compete in a round-robin format, with the Group winners advancing to the knockout-style semifinals. The U.S. was drawn into Group A and will play Switzerland (Thursday, November 9, 4 p.m. local time) and the Czech Republic (Friday, November 10, 4 p.m. local time) with hopes of advancing to the semifinals and beyond.
Gauff, meantime, will rest and look ahead to the WTA Finals.
