The 2022 Baseline Awards: Dual Threats

WATCH: Coco Gauff and Jessica Pegula go up against Xu Yifan and Yang Zhaoxuan at the 2022 WTA Finals.

Over the past several seasons, there’s been no question that the state of American women in professional tennis is in good shape, with multiple players reaching the top 10 and contending for major titles.

In 2022, the charge was led by Jessica Pegula and Coco Gauff, who each enjoyed the best year of their respective careers—together and apart.

Pegula, 28, and 18-year-old Gauff continued the climb up the standings they’ve made the past couple of years, as they were consistently in the mix at the majority of the tournaments they played. And as they were competing on the sport’s biggest stages in singles, they decided to team up in doubles, too. The first title of the year for either of them came in February at the Qatar Open, and was a harbinger of things to come.

At the year’s second major, in Paris, things really took off—especially for Gauff, who reached her first Grand Slam singles final and second in doubles, with Pegula.

As the season progressed, the pair’s next final came in Canada, where they won their second event of 2022. The victory carried historical significance, as well, as Gauff became No. 1 in the world in doubles.

Entering the US Open as the second seeds and title contenders in doubles, they were surprisingly ousted in the first round. Putting that behind them, the two found a place in the second week of the tournament on the singles side, with each advancing to the quarterfinals.

And post-New York, they continued to shine, with Gauff eventually joining Pegula in the top 10 in singles, a doubles run in San Diego and Pegula claiming the biggest title of her career in Mexico.