Coco Gauff wins DC Open with victory over Maria Sakkari… with fourth WTA singles title ideal preparation ahead of US Open tilt

Coco Gauff claimed the last three games of each set to defeat Maria Sakkari 6-2 6-3 in the DC Open women’s final on Sunday for the fourth WTA Tour singles title of her career.

Gauff, the 19-year-old from Florida, did not drop a set all week in the hard-court tournament that is a tuneup for the U.S. Open, which begins in New York on August 28. 

This was her second trophy of the season, alongside one in Auckland, New Zealand, in January.

Gauff is ranked No 7 in the world and was seeded No 3 in Washington, where she teamed with Caty McNally to win the doubles title in 2019.

The match briefly was interrupted in each set when a spectator was attended to in the stands on an afternoon with the temperature at about 90 degrees and the humidity at 55 per cent.

Coco Gauff beat Maria Sakkari in the DC Open final to win her fourth WTA Tour singles title

Gauff, the 19-year-old from Florida, did not drop a set all week in the hard-court tournament

Gauff, the runner-up at the 2022 French Open, hit seven aces and improved to 4-1 in tour finals. Sakkari, a 28-year-old from Greece who is ranked No 9 and was seeded No 4, is now 1-7 in finals.

This was the first year of Washington’s tournament as a combined ATP-WTA 500 event. 

Despite that equal billing, the prize money is still not the same – and isn´t expected to be until 2027. 

Gauff earned $120,150, while the men´s champion was going to receive a check for $353,445.