Tennis star Coco Gauff made a grovelling apology to the WTA after a rare slip of the tongue saw her reveal unpublished information.
Coco Gauff, the American tennis sensation, recently found herself in a tricky situation after unintentionally disclosing her qualification for the upcoming WTA Finals—a slip she later apologized for. The incident took place following her semi-final match at the Wuhan Open, where she narrowly lost to world No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka. The match ended with Gauff initially winning the first set but eventually losing 1-6, 6-4, 6-4. However, her impressive performance in the tournament’s last rounds secured her a spot in the prestigious WTA Finals, scheduled to take place in Riyadh in November.
In a press conference after the match, Gauff accidentally confirmed her qualification, a revelation that the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) had yet to announce publicly. The 20-year-old mistakenly revealed this detail while answering a question about her potential participation in the season-ending event. “I saw that I qualified on the ranking race. Oops, they [WTA] said they didn’t announce it yet!” Gauff told reporters, visibly embarrassed by the slip.
Gauff, who won her first Grand Slam title at the 2023 U.S. Open, laughed off her mistake and offered a quick apology to the WTA. She explained that she had seen her qualification status on an unofficial ranking site, which tracks players’ live rankings before the WTA’s official announcements. “If you look it up online, there’s a checkmark by my name. They told me not to say anything. Sorry. But it’s by my name,” she added. Gauff mentioned that she had become aware of her qualification about two days prior, possibly after reaching the quarterfinals of the Wuhan Open.
This year’s WTA Finals will be hosted in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, with a massive prize fund of £11.7 million ($15.3 million). The decision to hold the event in Saudi Arabia has sparked criticism, with former tennis legends Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova openly expressing concerns about the Gulf nation’s human rights record. In an op-ed published in the Washington Post, both Evert and Navratilova questioned the WTA’s choice, arguing that the tournament should take place in locations with a stronger record on human rights.
Despite the controversy, Gauff expressed excitement about her participation in the WTA Finals. She mentioned that this would be her third consecutive year qualifying for the event, though it will be her first time focusing solely on singles, as she will not be competing in doubles. “I’m really happy to be qualified. I’m happy to be going there. Honestly, going in, it was like ‘whatever happens, happens,’” she stated. She emphasized her enthusiasm for the experience, looking forward to the unique atmosphere and activities planned for the players in Riyadh. “I’m super excited, I heard it’s going to be great,” Gauff shared, adding that she had even started planning her wardrobe for the event.
Gauff’s accidental announcement may have caused a brief stir, but her openness and humor quickly defused any tension. The young athlete remains focused on her upcoming journey to Riyadh, where she will compete among the top eight female tennis players in the world.
