Coco Gauff is back in Indian Wells for the second time this year, preparing to compete in the prestigious WTA Finals and concluding her season on home soil before representing the United States in the Billie Jean King Cup.
Playing Indian Wells in November
This year’s WTA Finals take place in Indian Wells for a single year after the tournament’s contract in Riyadh came to an abrupt end, with Charlotte, North Carolina, scheduled to host from 2027 to 2029. Although the desert venue usually hosts a massive ATP and WTA 1000 event in the spring, sports.yahoo.com reports that Gauff has noticed a quieter, more spacious atmosphere with only eight singles players and eight doubles teams on-site.
“Yeah, I mean, it’s definitely weird being here, finding a table to sit in players dining, just having a lot more space. It feels nice,” Gauff said during her pre-tournament press conference, as reported by sports.yahoo.com. “Obviously it’s going to be — you know, we’re in the quiet days right now, so it’s nice to be, like, be around the site, actually enjoy the site, which we normally can’t do.”
Gauff added that apart from the warmer November weather, the site feels very similar to March. The world number four has a career-best semi-final finish at Indian Wells from 2024 and enters the tournament looking to improve her overall WTA Finals record.
Reflecting on Five Consecutive Appearances
Making her fifth straight appearance at the WTA Finals, the 22-year-old holds a 7-8 win-loss record at the event, having won the title in Riyadh in 2024 but exiting in the round-robin stage last year. Qualifying for five consecutive years is a feat that brings her immense pride, even if she tends to focus primarily on future challenges.
“I mean, I think I’m always usually a focus on what’s next type of person, but definitely here five times in a row is definitely something to be proud of because consistently being amongst the top eight players of the world for some time now, so,” Gauff stated, according to sports.yahoo.com.
She also noted that being immersed in the competition can sometimes obscure the magnitude of her achievements until she sees photographs and reflects on growing up watching the tournament.
Gauff starts her WTA Finals campaign on Sunday, November 8, taking on compatriot Jessica Pegula in her opening round-robin match within a group that also features world number one Elena Rybakina and Wimbledon champion Linda Noskova.
