INDIAN WELLS, Calif. -- While she wishes she claimed a few more titles, Coco Gauff's biggest takeaway from this season was her improved consistency.

After her 2026 campaign on the WTA Tour Driven by Mercedes-Benz came to an end with a third-place finish in her FAGE WTA Finals group, Gauff reflected on her year. She finished the season with one title, a WTA 1000 in Cincinnati, in addition to runner-up finishes at WTA 1000s in Miami and Rome and semifinal runs at Wimbledon, US Open, Dubai and Toronto among other results. 

After a season-long race, the world's top players converge in the California desert with the WTA's biggest title still to be won.

"The overall theme of the season — my goal of this season — was to be more consistent. I felt in my previous seasons, I went through highs and lows — really high, highs and really low, lows," Gauff said to press after her group stage finale at Indian Wells on Thursday. "Post Indian Wells, I pretty much was consistent from that point on, and I think that’s something that I can continue to build on. The more I put myself in those semis and finals positions, I have faith I’ll take more titles.”

Gauff finished with a 49-15 record on tour, capped off by her fifth straight appearance at the WTA Finals. She earned seven top 10 wins, of her career 40, in 2026, and advanced to at least the quarterfinals at three of the four Grand Slams. 

She also improved upon her historically worst surface, grass, by making the final four at Wimbledon and was one drop shot away from making the final. Prior, her best finish at the All England Club was the Round of 16, three separate times. 

"Anytime I don’t have a Slam in the season, it’s always going to be more to be desired," Gauff said. "I definitely think I made pushes in areas and improvements, particularly in the grass court area. That was part of my game I wanted to improve, and I improved that."

In addition to her consistency results-wise, she made strides on what was her biggest weakness, her serve. Ahead of the US Open in 2025, she brought onboard biomechanics specialist Gavin MacMillan to her team to improve the long-term sustainability of her serve. 

At Cincinnati, she said it was "night and day" in terms of the player she was last year compared to this year.

"At the end of the day, you can do everything right in practice, but it's in the replicating the pressure moments that you only get on the match court to make it better," Gauff said in August. "I think I had some tough moments with it, but I feel like it's getting in the right direction and definitely becoming really close to the place I want it to be."

Gauff will open her 2027 season on the WTA Tour representing the United States at the United Cup. The USA was placed in Group A, and will compete in Perth.