Coco Gauff's substantial winnings after securing her first WTA Finals title means she has now earned more than $20 million in career prize money.
Gauff won the 2024 WTA Finals after beating Qinwen Zheng in one of the best matches of 2024. Despite the Chinese player serving for the championship, Gauff dug in and triumphed 3-6, 6-4, 7-6.
It is the second biggest title of the 20-year-old's career after winning the US Open last year. She won the season-ending tournament the hard way by triumphing against Iga Swiatek and Aryna Sabalenka before the final.
That achievement would make the moment memorable for Gauff regardless of any other factors, but Saudi Arabia hosting the tournament meant the prize money on offer at the WTA Finals was vastly increased compared to recent years.
Some worry about the impact of allowing the Saudi regime to invest and increase its influence in tennis. It has led to division and controversy in golf, and fans do not want the same thing to happen in tennis.
Saudi Arabia's government also has a poor human rights record, especially when it comes to women and the LGBTQ community. There have been some improvements for women, but many issues still remain.
Gauff, who has regularly spoken in support of women and LGBTQ people, admitted to having reservations about playing in Saudi Arabia but hoped the positives would outweigh the negatives.
One undoubted benefit for the players is the prize money offered by Saudi Arabia. Gauff won an extraordinary $4.805 million for becoming the WTA Finals champion, the most significant prize money ever awarded to a female tennis player.
That amount was more than Gauff had earned at all her other tournaments during 2024 combined. Such lucrative prize money makes it easy to see why the WTA chose Saudi Arabia to host the season-ending Finals.
Gauff's outstanding success at the WTA Finals also means she has earned more than $20 million in prize money. The world No. 3 is one of just 25 women in the sport's history to achieve that.
Before the WTA Finals began, she had earned $16,776,989 throughout her career. The $4.805 million collected at the WTA Finals brings that total to above $21.5 million.
That is an incredible number, considering Gauff is still just 20 years old. She has moved above the legendary Justine Henin on the list in the 23rd. The Frenchwoman earned $20,863,335 during her illustrious career.
Martina Navratilova is the next player Gauff will likely pass on the list next year. The 18-time Grand Slam singles champion is only marginally ahead of this year's WTA Finals champion on $21,626,089.
Naomi Osaka and Steffi Graf are the next two players in front of Gauff, in 20th and 21st place. With the stunning tennis she played in the closing months of 2024, it seems like only a matter of time before the American enters the Top 20 on the list.
Serena Williams is No. 1 on the prize money list by a distance with $94,816,730. Her sister Venus Williams is the next closest with $42,648,578.
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