How can Coco Gauff become first American year-end no. 1 in doubles since 2011

Coco Gauff can become the first American since 2011 to finish the year as the World No. 1 player in the WTA Rankings in doubles.

Since the introduction of the WTA Doubles Rankings in 1984, Martina Navratilova finished as the year-end No. 1 five times, while her doubles partner Pam Shriver achieved this feat only once.

Until 1990, there was a player from no other country than the United States that would take the No. 1 spot. Then a Czech duo, Helena Sukova and Jana Novotna, dominated for a few years before Gigi Fernandez became another American to finish as year-end No. 1.

A few years passed before Lisa Raymond joined the club in 2001 and added another year-end finish in 2006. Then, Liezel Huber, who was born in South Africa but represented the United States from 2007, finished as year-end No. 1 in 2007, 2008, 2009, and 2011, and that was the end of American dominance in doubles on the WTA Tour.

However, in 2022, Coco Gauff and Jessica Pegula showed their superb qualities in doubles, and now, the 18-year-old American can finish the year as the first No. 1 from the United States since 2011.

While the American duo enters the WTA 1000 event in Guadalajara and the WTA Finals with the knowledge that no points will be deducted from them, the 2021 WTA Finals champions and current World No. 1 and No. 2 player, Barbora Krejcikova and Katerina Siniakova are facing quite a drop in terms of points.

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Therefore, with all points subtracted, Gauff should find herself with more than 300 point lead over Siniakova, while she would be only 747 points behind Krejcikova if there would be no more points awarded.

That means that Gauff and Pegula need their Czech opponents to lose early in Mexico or perform better than them at the WTA Finals.

At the 2022 Guadalajara Open, they could meet in the semi-finals, and if the Americans succeed and also win the tournament, Gauff would be in a pole position to finish as year-end No. 1.

However, if they lose, they will need Krejcikova and Siniakova to lose in round-robin stages at the WTA Finals and win the event.

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