Third set: Zheng 6-3, 4-6, 3-3 Gauff* (*denotes next server) Zheng clung to her service games and couldn’t close them out like Gauff did. But a big hand in the corner puts her at 30-0. Gauff pulls back to 30-30, but this time Zheng holds on.

Third set: Zheng* 6-3, 4-6, 2-3 Gauff (*denotes next server) What a support to love. Wow! Gauff takes the lead in the second set.

Third set: Zheng 6-3, 4-6, 2-2 Gauff *(*denotes next server) A 187 km/h ace from Zheng takes the game to 40-15, Gauff pulls back to 30-40 as has become the norm, and then to deuce. A wild forehand from Zheng gives Gauff the advantage, and a sprint to the net on the right and a dive to the net on the left in an astonishing few seconds gives her the game.

Third set: Zheng* 6-3, 4-6, 2-1 Gauff (*denotes next server) A fantastic placement from Gauff takes her to 30-30, but she and Zheng take turns going long. Zheng pulls back to deuce as she jumps on a Gauff drop shot. And gains advantage when Gauff shoots one into the net. A well-timed ace retreats to deuce. Exhausting and fascinating tennis. One, two twos, until Gauff hits an on-point serve to end the game.

Third set: Zheng 6-3, 4-6, 2-0 Gauff* (*denotes next server) The winter sun is long gone in Manchester, but shines brightly under the lights in Riyadh. Zheng is a little wild with a few of her shots, and then Gauff flies in a return that lands long. At 30-30, Gauff gets a break point when Zheng goes long. But then it’s Gauff’s turn as she hits long in a high-wire rally, the clock ticks to 2 o’clock and Zheng holds her serve.

Third set: Zheng* 6-3, 4-6, 1-0 Gauff (*denotes next server) So we roll into a final set. Zheng wins the first point as Gauff hangs one wide – and he flies away to love forty with a pinpoint forehand from Zheng. She has three break points and loses them all. But still takes over the game when Gauff makes a double fault.

Gauff wins the second set 6-4

Second set: Zheng* 6-3, 4-5 Gauff (*denotes next server) Gauff’s reaction to being down 0-15 is an ace. A few mistakes by Zheng and Gauff result in two set points. Zheng pulls one of them back with a steaming backhand up the court, the second with a forehand down the line to take the game to deuce. Driven by determination, she then breaks back.

Second set: Zheng 6-3, 3-5 Gauff* (*denotes next server) A drop shot from Zheng “here at height is not a safe choice” hits the net and bounces back safely – she apologizes. Then she throws in an ace. A turbulent rally follows – they are both so incredibly fit. A backhand from Zheng flies wide and Gauff has another break point. When Zheng hits long, it’s four games in a row for Gauff, who now serves for the set to tie the match.

Second set: Zheng* 6-3, 3-4 Gauff (*denotes next server) Gauff’s nine straight points end when she strikes out. But she continues: an ace earns her a game point and she advances for the first time in the match. Three games in a row for Gauff and the momentum changed!

Second set: Zheng 6-3, 3-3 Gauff* (*denotes next server) Tim Henman says of Gauff: “She just has to keep believing that she will get her opportunities. This will be a mental as well as a physical battle, to keep believing that she will get her opportunities.” A drop shot followed by a backhand pass puts her up 15-0 on the Gauff serve. A perfect return to 30-0, a backhand volley to the net to 40-0 and suddenly she is broken again!

Second set: Zheng* 6-3, 3-2 Gauff (*denotes next server) In the rush of a curtain, and to the delight of the audience, Gauff takes the game to love.

Second set: Zheng 6-3, 3-1 Gauff* (*denotes next server) A buzzing backhand from Gauff from Zheng’s second serve kisses the line. A double fault from Zheng – she has lost at least two points in every service game so far – but she jumps in to win the game.

Second set: Zheng* 6-3, 2-1 Gauff (*denotes next server) Late November 5, fireworks are going off somewhere outside my window, as Gauff suddenly plays like a slightly quirky Catherine wheel – shots fly around. But a ferocious backhand down the court takes her to 40-30 and an ace wins the game.

Second set: Zheng 6-3, 2-0 Gauff* (*denotes next server) Toad, toad, toad, Zheng bounces her ball as she prepares to serve, toad, toad, toad. Gauff’s body language fades, but she pulls back to 30-40, and then Zheng wins with an ace – her first of the match.

Second set: Zheng* 6-3, 1-0 Gauff (*denotes next server) Just remember the £2.5 million for winning this game. The players pause between sets, Gauff opens a box and takes out what looks like a handful of notes. She immediately goes down 15-0 on her serve, but retreats when Zheng jumps into the net and is so furious that she swings her racket with her foot. But she pounces on a cake from Gauff, and from deuce she perseveres, wins a break point – and immediately breaks in the second set.

Zheng wins the first set 6-3!

First set: Zheng* 5-3 Gauff (*denotes next server) New balls – and a wild shot from Gauff give Zheng the first point. The pattern continues and Gauff falls behind 0-40, eventually losing the match with a double fault. Out of nowhere she suddenly gets into trouble in the first set.

First set: Zheng 4-3 Gauff* (*denotes next server) Seventeen unforced errors at the start of this game for Zheng – that’s ten more than Gauff. Indeed, Zheng’s average service games last 6 minutes and 25 seconds, compared to 4 minutes for Gauff. The lavender court continues to face abuse – and from 30, then deuce, Zheng takes the game.

First set: Zheng* 3-3 Gauff (*denotes next server) We pause while the referee flags someone off for going into the crowd. Apparently 21,000 people attended over the course of the tournament – ​​a capacity of 4,000 people today and yesterday, so probably half full for the rest of the time, Jonathan Overend estimates. A steaming backhand from Zheng passes a diving Gauff to take the game to 30-all, which seems to galvanize Zheng. She wins a first break point against the Gauff serve, but then gives Gauff the advantage with a steamy but skipped crosscourt forehand. Gauff fluffs one close to the net, but closes out the game. This is magical tennis.

First set: Zheng 3-2 Gauff* (*denotes next server) A humdinger of a game packed with huge shots and ferocious rallies. An inside-out backhand gives Zheng the first point on her serve. Gauff is very fast and covers the length of the baseline like a woman in seven-league boots. An inch-perfect forehand from Gauff, after which Zheng hits long and gives Gauff two break points. Zheng saves the game with a perfectly balanced cross court winner and then a backhand down the line. Zheng saves a third break point, and Gauff is disgusted with himself after hitting a weak forehand to give Zheng the advantage. But a forehand down the court brings her back to deuce. But in the end, Zheng wins. They sit down.

First set: Zheng 2*-2 Gauff (*denotes next server) Gauff wears a deeper purple, almost royal purple dress and a matching headband. A double fault is followed by two outrageous first serves. Zheng retreats for deuce, but brilliant defense from Gauff in a squeaky shoe rally gives her the advantage, and she quickly takes the game

First set: Zheng 2-1 Gauff *(*denotes next server) Zheng hits a backhand into the net to make it 15, and Gauff fights back in a series of powerful rallies, but ultimately nothing pays off. Pere Riba, Zheng’s coach, sits and watches with folded arms.

First set: Zheng* 1-1 Gauff (*denotes next server) Wham-bam – Gauff wins the game in about 60 seconds with a steamy grab.

First set

Great is the youngest WTA Finals finalist since Caroline Wozniacki in 2010. Qinwen wins the toss and elects to serve. A huge crowd fills the arena watching them warm up.

Who’s going to win? The TV experts are divided 1-1.

Come out, the players!

Lots of talk about Gauff’s forehand. She changed teams, splitting with Brad Gilbert after the US Open and joining forces with Matt Daly. Since then she has been storming the rankings – and the forehand is one of the main talking points.

“I don’t want to give too much away about what’s going on, but there are changes happening,” Gauff said. “I’ve been playing with them since Beijing.”

Lots of flashing purple lights and turbulent drums in Riyadh, but Tim Henman is still in good shape, so no reason to panic. I imagine the players will be free soon.

This was Tumaini Carayol’s take on the midweek finale.

Preamble