Gigi 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 look forward to our connection to Turin and, having left for the airport in Riyadh at 5am on Sunday morning after two hours sleep, please excuse any dangerous spelling or random musings, though with regards to camel rides that’s meant to be in right here!

As we look forward to our flight a debate is in full swing among the many workforce as to who’s the best British sportsperson, and also you wont be shocked to know that Andy Murray has had a number 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 talk continues I’ll get to the tennis and as an alternative of ready till the ATP Finals had been completed, with our journey to Saudi Arabia and the WTA Finals nonetheless recent in my thoughts, I wished to look again on the WTA’s season-ending event.

It was per week that was topped off with a implausible closing, the youngest WTA Finals showpiece since 2004 when Serena Williams confronted Maria Sharapova, with this 12 months’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-year-old Qinwen Zheng in simply over three hours, 3-6 6-4 7-6 (7-2). It was Gauff’s greatest closing and now greatest title since successful the US Open in 2023. On her technique to the ultimate she beat the highest two gamers on the planet in Aryna Sabalenka, who finishes the 12 months as world No 1, and Iga Swiatek.

Gauff has well-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 taking a look at together with her serve.

And whereas chatting with us dwell 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 shifting in proper path with girls’s sport

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

The final 10 days noticed gamers previous and current maintain teaching clinics, make themselves as seen as doable and see for themselves the place the nation is and the place it needs to go. As at all times it is what occurs when everybody leaves when the event is finished, nevertheless it does sound from chatting with a varied those that whereas not shifting 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 possibility to discover a bit of and for Laura and I that meant sand dunes, quad bikes and camel using. A 4.30am departure from the lodge meant we bought to see the dawn, then got here the quad bikes and at last 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 supply 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 experience in your camel with you!’

As soon as the season lastly shuts down, which it does for a really temporary period of time, I’ll look again on the 12 months and forward to 2025 however I feel it is honest to say that with regards to the ladies’s recreation it’s in good arms.

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

Sinner huge favorite for ATP Finals

Whereas we had been away Cam Norrie had finish to the season, reaching the ultimate in Metz, whereas Katie Boulter would wrap up her 12 months at a career-high rating of twenty third.

Subsequent cease Turin, which is beneath approach and for the primary time since 2001 it does not function a member of the Large Three following Novak Djokovic’s withdrawal. The prize pot is similar 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 bundle.

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

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

And as I end this Lennox Lewis has been thrown into our debate in regards to the biggest 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 dwell sport this 12 months at no further price. Discover out extra right here.