US Open champion Coco Gauff wanted simply 57 minutes to beat Ons Jabeur in her opening match on the WTA Finals.
Gauff, 19, who’s seeded third, gained the primary seven video games earlier than an hour-long rain delay in Cancun, Mexico.
When play resumed, the American shortly wrapped up a 6-0 6-1 victory for her fiftieth win of the season.
Within the different Group B match, Iga Swiatek got here again from 5-2 down within the opening set to defeat Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova 7-6 (7-3) 6-0.
The Pole, who’s aiming to regain her world primary rating from Aryna Sabalenka, struggled early on.
Czech Vondrousova, who’s showing on the season-ending Finals for the primary time, twice served for the primary set however Swiatek took management of the match and her opponent was unable to reply.
“Even within the first a part of the match I wasn’t feeling like I used to be taking part in unhealthy,” stated Swiatek. “I simply felt like I used to be making errors on the final pictures throughout the rally. I felt that there was room for enchancment, however I did not want to alter so much. So I simply needed to be extra exact and extra stable.”
Like Sabalenka after her opening match on Sunday, Vondrousova was sad on the situations the gamers confronted on the venue, the place court docket building was solely accomplished within the days earlier than the event’s Sunday begin.
“My first WTA Finals is in no way what I imagined,” she wrote on Instagram. “We work onerous all yr to get to the finals and ultimately it is only a disappointment.
“[The] stadium is in no way prepared for the matches and to me it feels just like the folks from WTA (Girls’s Tennis Affiliation) are completely not enthusiastic about how we, who’re alleged to play on that court docket, really feel. We don’t really feel that anybody listens to us and is enthusiastic about our opinions. Very unhappy.”
The event sees the world’s eight finest gamers this season break up into two teams of 4. After the round-robin matches, the highest two in every group transfer by means of to Saturday’s semi-finals.
Gauff is taking part in in her first event since parting firm with coach Pere Riba after the current China Open.
“Sadly, it wasn’t my determination,” stated {the teenager}. “However we needed to finish the partnership. If it was as much as me, I’d have cherished to have him right here. However you already know, issues occur. Life occurs. So no unhealthy phrases on our finish.
“Generally folks suppose it is greater than what it’s. However some issues simply did not work out and that is all. I nonetheless suppose that he was an important man. And clearly, he did superb issues for me personally and in addition for my recreation. So I am certain he is going to achieve success in his subsequent step.”
Gauff and Swiatek will face one another on Wednesday.
