Coco Gauff needed a comeback effort to lift the WTA Auckland trophy for the second year in a row on Sunday, stretching her win streak at the event to 10 matches as she claimed the seventh title of her career.
The teenaged US Open champion needed just over two and a half hours to get by Ukrainian opponent Elina Svitolina 6-7 (4), 6-3, 6-3 with a week to go before the start of the Australian Open.
Gauff joined an elite trio with back-to-back Auckland trophies comprising Patty Fendick (1988-1989), Eleni Daniilidou (2003-2004) and Julia Goerges (2018-2019)..
Gauff has come good in seven of her eight career finals, highlighted by her home Grand Slam triumph in September; Svitolina lost only her fourth final from 21 played.
Gauff ended with 32 winners to 21 for former world No. 3 Svitolina, breaking her opponent six times from 13 chances.
Main photo:- Coco Gauff retains Auckland Trophy ©WTATennis.com
