Gauff improved to 5-4 against Sabalenka and ended a two-match losing streak including the Wuhan semifinals and the Australian Open semifinals. Sabalenka, who won the Australian Open and U.S. Open titles, ends the year at No. 1.

On Friday, Aryna Sabalenka (No. 1 in the world) meets Coco Gauff (No. 3) in the semifinals at the Akron WTA Finals Guadalajara.Sabalenka’s last competition was a win, 6-2, 6-2, over Ashlyn

Coco Gauff may be saving the best for last. In what is shaping up to be potentially her best week of the season, Coco Gauff beat the world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka in two turbulent sets Friday to set up a championship battle against the Olympic gold medalist Zheng Qinwen this weekend at the WTA Tour Finals.