Coco Gauff breaks silence with surprising Instagram message after early WTA Finals exit

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Coco Gauff’s season came to an end after she exited the WTA Finals in the round-robin stage.

It was a disappointing title defence for the American, though it was not entirely unexpected given how up and down her form has been this year.

Even after her impressive Roland Garros victory, 2025 has been filled with ongoing issues, especially with her forehand and serve.

In response to these problems, Gauff brought in a biomechanics coach, making significant changes to her coaching team right before the US Open.

The American star is still only 21 and has plenty of time ahead to keep developing. This early exit from the WTA Finals gives her a valuable chance to work closely with Gavin MacMillan and address the areas that need improvement.

Coco Gauff speaks out after Aryna Sabalenka defeat ends WTA Finals campaign

Gauff’s time at the WTA Finals ended with a loss to Aryna Sabalenka, falling short of last year’s surprise title run.

Even after beating Jasmine Paolini, she could not get through the group stage due to defeats against Jessica Pegula and Sabalenka.

Despite the disappointment of an early exit, it might be a relief for Gauff to have the season wrap up, even if just by a few days sooner.

She did not seem down about it in her Instagram post, saying: “always an honour to be a part of and compete against the top 8 in the world, thank you, Riyadh.”

During her match against Sabalenka, Tim Henman highlighted a key issue in Gauff’s game – something that her rival has managed to overcome.

Aryna Sabalenka reflects on win over Coco Gauff

Following her win over Gauff, Sabalenka opened up about the difficulties she often faces when playing the American.

Speaking courtside with Coco Vandeweghe, the Belarusian admitted she had already started thinking about the second set after falling behind 4-1 in the first.

“I was already preparing for the second set, to be honest.

“I was just trying to find the rhythm on her serve, and I was just trying to fight, you know?

“And then somehow I was able to turn around things, and I think that game gave me an extra boost of energy and belief that I can still win this set and yeah, and I did it.”

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Sabalenka’s resilience has become a key part of her success. It is something Gauff will be looking to develop further as she begins working more closely with MacMillan during the off-season.