American tennis star, and 2023 US Open champion, is still only 20 years old but she has displayed a wisdom and thoughtfulness that belie her youth. And this was especially evident during her brilliant run to the title at the WTA Finals in Riyadh last week.
Gauffâs mixed feelings about playing in Saudi Arabia proved that there was an effective middle ground to take, as she effectively threaded the needle in navigating how best to handle the situation.
âObviously Iâm a woman. I was very concerned. My dad was very concerned with me coming here,â Gauff said before the tournament. ââI would be lying to you if I said I had no reservations. Obviously, you know who I am and the things I speak about. I was pretty much on every player call I could make with WTA. One of the things I said, if we come here, we canât just come here and play our tournament and leave. Like, we have to have a real program or real plan in place.â
Most tellingly, Gauff told reporters that her decision to play Riyadh in the future (the city is under contract to host the Finals again in 2025 and 2026) is not unconditional, saying, âIf I felt uncomfortable or it felt like nothingâs happening, then ⊠I probably wouldnât come back.â
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