The American Coco Gauff downed China’s Zheng Qinwen 3-6 6-4 7-6(2) in a three-hour thriller on Saturday in Saudi Arabia to become the youngest player to win the WTA Finals in 20 years. She was also the first American champion since Serena Williams a decade ago. Gauff had to go through both the world number one and two in Aryna Sabalenka and Iga Swiatek en route to the final.

Olympic gold medallist Zheng, seeded seventh and making her WTA Finals debut, won the first set in just under an hour, saving all five break points she faced to keep Gauff at bay. Zheng got a 3-1 head start in the second set but Gauff fought back, breaking Zheng to love in the sixth game and converting another break point in the eighth before the pair traded breaks to close out the set.

Coco Gauff beats Zheng Qinwen, wins WTA Finals for 1st time pic.twitter.com/G3X6jeYTiX

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In the final set, Zheng was forced to save four break points, including three in a captivating fifth game. The 20-year-old Gauff stormed to a 6-0 lead in the final set tiebreak before easing to victory. It was the longest showpiece match at the WTA Finals since 2008 when times were first recorded.

Speaking to Sky Sports, Gauff said the win meant the world to her. “This is the first professional women’s tennis event here in Saudi Arabia and I’ll forever be etched in history in that standard,” she said. “That was a great match. I was just trying my best to hang in there and never gave up.”

Gauff will take home a total prize of $4.8m – a record amount in women’s professional tennis.

OFM Sport/Ilse Smalberger c