Coco Gauff outlasted Jessica Pegula 6-4, 6-7 (5), 6-2 after missing a match point, and Wimbledon champion Linda Noskova beat late replacement Marta Kostyuk 6-2, 6-4, as the WTA Finals opened in Indian Wells without withdrawn world No. 1 Elena Rybakina.
INDIAN WELLS, Calif. — The season-ending tournament, in its first year at Indian Wells after two years in Riyadh, began without the woman who was meant to open it. Elena Rybakina, the defending champion who locked up the year-end world No. 1 ranking in Tokyo, withdrew on Saturday, saying she was not physically ready to compete. Reports cite a viral illness.
A late call-up and a clinical opener
The call went to world No. 10 Marta Kostyuk, whose retirement in Ningbo last month had handed Karolina Muchova the last qualifying place. She had barely a day to prepare for a debut against Noskova instead of Rybakina.
It did not go her way. Noskova, 21 and seeded eighth, won 6-2, 6-4 in 1 hour 27 minutes and converted all four break points she created. Kostyuk landed only 38 per cent of her first serves, hit six double faults and converted one of her four break points. It was Noskova’s fifth win over a top-10 opponent this season.
Gauff survives the wobble
The all-American match closed the day. Fourth seed Gauff took the first set 6-4. In the second she held a match point at 6-5, but Pegula saved it and won the tie-break 7-5. In the decider Gauff broke in the first and third games to lead 3-0, gave a break straight back, then broke again for 5-2 and served out the match on her second match point.
Pegula, the fifth seed, made 55 unforced errors to Gauff’s 41 and lost her serve seven times. The win was Gauff’s first over a top-10 player this season. She is still without a title in 2026, her only final coming in Miami in March, where she lost to Aryna Sabalenka. It also avenged her three-set round-robin loss to Pegula at the 2025 Finals in Riyadh.
The group picture
Noskova and Gauff lead Group 1 at 1-0, with Pegula and Kostyuk at 0-1. The top two reach Saturday’s semi-finals. Gauff plays Noskova on Tuesday, with Pegula facing Kostyuk. Group 2 opens on Monday in California, with Sabalenka against Muchova and Andreeva against Svitolina.
