Justine Henin believes Coco Gauff has demonstrated a “resilience that will take her very far” after capping off a resurgent finish to the season with victory at the WTA Finals.

Gauff, 20, suffered a dip in form in the summer as she won just one match across Toronto and Cincinnati and then saw her US Open title defence end in the last 16.

But she bounced back in impressive style with 13 wins from 15 matches to finish the year.

“She has a resilience that potentially will take her very far in terms of what she will win in her career,” former world No. 1 Henin told Eurosport about Gauff.

“She has the capacity to bounce back, and that’s the sign of a potentially very big future. Of course, there is a path to get there and reach these successes. Her end of season has been really exceptional, the way that she went after the win in that final [against Zheng Qinwen]. 

“It’s great to watch matches of that quality. We’ve seen a lot of them this year and we’re seeing some rivalries begin to establish themselves at the top of the game. 

“Coco Gauff showed once again a lot of heart, she plays with her weaknesses, with her flaws, but she never gives up and that’s what she showed once more in that final.”

Gauff’s victory over Zheng saw her become the youngest player to win the WTA Finals since Maria Sharapova in 2004.

Henin added: “That’s also part of the game, the critics. She had some results that were less good, there is then analysis of that. She had a very difficult summer. 

“Last year she had a summer that was completely different. We’ve seen things that have evolved in her game in a difficult way, but I was nonetheless quite impressed by the level of her game [in Riyadh]. 

“Even if we can analyse her career and her results, we must also not forget that she is still very young and we are very demanding with her. She is very demanding of herself.”

Gauff is not competing for the USA at this week’s Billie Jean King Cup Finals in Malaga, Spain.

Jessica Pegula is also absent, meaning Danielle Collins will be the top-ranked singles player in the team.

USA play Slovakia on Thursday, November 14.