Jessica Pegula saved a match point to beat Linda Noskova 7-6 (2), 4-6, 7-5 and reach the WTA Finals semi-finals, eliminating Coco Gauff on set percentage. Gauff had beaten Marta Kostyuk 6-4, 7-5 from 1-5 down in the second set. Pegula now meets Mirra Andreeva in the semi-finals.
Indian Wells, California: Jessica Pegula was one point from going home at the WTA Finals on Thursday and left with a semi-final place. She saved a match point against Linda Noskova to win 7-6 (2), 4-6, 7-5 in the last Group 1 match, and the result sent Coco Gauff out of the tournament even though Gauff had beaten Marta Kostyuk 6-4, 7-5 earlier in the day.
Pegula escapes
Noskova, the Wimbledon champion, had already booked her semi-final place and was a point from a perfect group record. In the deciding set she led 5-4 and reached match point on Pegula’s serve. Pegula saved it, held for 5-5, broke Noskova for 6-5 and served out the win on her first match point. She needed a victory to advance after Gauff’s earlier result, and she took the first set on a tie-break, 7-2, before Noskova levelled.
The serve carried Pegula. She hit a career-high 16 aces, while Noskova’s 15 double faults were a career high of the wrong kind. The match lasted about two hours and 45 minutes.
Gauff goes out after a comeback
Gauff gave herself a chance by beating Kostyuk. She took the first set, then trailed 0-3 in the second and took a medical timeout, with a trainer working on her lower back. Kostyuk later led 5-1, but Gauff, who hit nine double faults, won the last six games to close out 7-5. She said afterwards that her head was already in a third set. It was the second time she had overturned a 5-1 deficit at the tournament, after doing the same against Pegula in her opening win. That left her waiting on Noskova, and the wait ended badly.
Kostyuk, who joined as an alternate after Elena Rybakina withdrew with illness, lost all three of her matches without winning a set while struggling with a wrist injury.
How the group was decided
Noskova, Pegula and Gauff all finished 2-1, so the places went on the percentage of sets won. Noskova took the group with a 5-2 record in sets, Pegula went through second at 5-3 and Gauff missed out at 4-3. The margin was thin. In their opening match, Gauff had a match point in the second set that would have ended it in straight sets, and Pegula forced a third. Earlier results are in the Group 1 round-up.
The semi-finals
Pegula, ranked fifth, plays Group 2 winner Mirra Andreeva on Saturday in their first meeting. Before the tournament Pegula apologised after remarks she made about Andreeva during a practice session were livestreamed. Noskova will face the Group 2 runner-up, which is due to be settled on Friday between Aryna Sabalenka and Elina Svitolina after Andreeva clinched the group.
Group 1 results, Thursday 12 November, Indian Wells: Jessica Pegula (USA) beat Linda Noskova (Czechia) 7-6 (2), 4-6, 7-5; Coco Gauff (USA) beat Marta Kostyuk (Ukraine) 6-4, 7-5. Final Group 1 standings: Noskova 2-1 (sets 5-2), Pegula 2-1 (5-3), Gauff 2-1 (4-3), Kostyuk 0-3. Semi-finals, Saturday: Pegula v Andreeva; Noskova v Group 2 runner-up.
