Gauff overcomes back injury to remain in WTA Finals contention

Coco Gauff overcame a lower‑back problem to defeat Ukraine's Kateryna Kostyuk 6-4 7-5, preserving her chance of qualifying for the season‑ending WTA Finals, match officials said.

Mid‑match, Gauff received treatment for her back and soon found herself trailing 5-1 in the second set. She then rallied to win six consecutive games, completing a comeback that mirrored a similar 5-1 reversal against Jessica Pegula earlier in the tournament. Kostyuk, a late addition after Elena Rybakina withdrew, also required treatment for a wrist injury that has affected her since August.

"Physically, I wasn't at my best, which I'm not really used to," Gauff told Sky Sports. "It was like a mental challenge, learning how to play through that." She added, "I asked my physio at 5-2 down, what can I do on the bathroom break [between sets] to try and loosen up," and noted that there was no bathroom break. "And then there was no bathroom break!"

Gauff, the world number four and 22‑year‑old, struggled with her serve, recording nine double faults to a single ace, and said the pain made her motion difficult. Kostyuk, hampered by her wrist problem, could not generate her usual pace or spin. Gauff called her trainer after falling 3-0 down and later faced a double break, but with the crowd behind her she managed to swing hard and outlast her opponent.