PIF Race to the WTA Finals: Gauff, Zheng rise with significant weeks ahead

The final three weeks of the PIF Race to the WTA Finals Riyadh are upon us.

The Dongfeng Voyah · Wuhan Open marks the final WTA 1000 tournament of the season, followed by two weeks of WTA 500 and WTA 250 events before the prestigious year-end championships kick off in Riyadh.

Wuhan:  411 | Draw analysis | Scores | Schedule | Draws

Here are some field notes from the Race:
 
Gauff boosted by Beijing title run

Coco Gauff made significant gains by winning the title in Beijing, earning 1,000 Race points as she moved from No.6 to No.4 on the Leaderboard.

As it currently stands, Elena Rybakina, Gauff and Jasmine Paolini occupy the No.3 through No.5 spots on the Leaderboard, and they are separated by only 51 points. 

Beijing semifinalists Zheng, Badosa also climb
 
A semifinalist at Beijing, Zheng Qinwen collected 390 Race points as she moves up one spot to No.8. Zheng now trails No.7 Emma Navarro by 108 points. 
 
Paula Badosa also made a notable move, climbing five spots from No.16 to No.11 after her own semifinal run in Beijing. Badosa sits 854 points outside the Top 7, and currently trails the second alternate position by 463 points.

Wuhan outlook

This week in Wuhan, as many as five singles qualifications could occur, with Rybakina, Gauff, Paolini, Jessica Pegula and Barbora Krejcikova all having a possibility to clinch a spot in Riyadh.

They are looking to join World No.1 Iga Swiatek and No.2 Aryna Sabalenka, who have already qualified for the singles field at the WTA Finals Riyadh.

As one of this year's Grand Slam champions, 2024 Wimbledon titlist Krejcikova would need to secure a Leaderboard Top 20 finish to punch her ticket to the WTA Finals. She enters the week at No.12 and could be passed this week by as many as six players. However, any wins she records, as well as losses by the players trailing her, will push her closer to qualifying. 

Doubles field growing
                                                                              
In doubles, Caroline Dolehide and Desirae Krawczyk potentially can secure qualification by reaching the Wuhan quarterfinals, along with a combination of other results.

With three more teams having qualified on Monday, five out of eight spots in the Riyadh doubles field have already been secured.