(Auckland) American Coco Gauff, 7e world player, easily qualified for the final of the Auckland tournament on Saturday by dominating Montenegrin Danka Kovinic 6-0, 6-2.
Gauff, 18, is yet to drop a set in the WTA 250 tournament in New Zealand and will be the heavy favorite in Sunday’s final against Spanish qualifier Rebeka Masarova.
Masarova, ranked 130e in the WTA, beat another qualifier, Belgian Ysaline Bonaventure 6-3, 6-3.
It will be the fourth final of Gauff’s fledgling career, the first since losing the French Open final to Polish world number one Iga Swiatek seven months ago.
“I didn’t expect this result coming into the tournament,” said the American.
“I couldn’t have asked for a better start to the season, whatever the result tomorrow,” added the one who is one of the favorites for the next Australian Open.
Gauff, who also reached the quarter-finals at the U.S. Open last year, has won two WTA Tour titles, Linz in 2019 and Parma in 2021.
Masarova, 23, will play her first WTA final after impressing with her big serves. She also hasn’t dropped a single set this week, kicked off with her first-round win over No.2 seeded American Sloane Stephens.
“Beating a good random player means nothing, but doing it consistently gives me more confidence,” she said. “I took things step by step. I felt good in qualifying and now it’s incredible, ”said the one who was born in Basel like a certain Roger Federer.