LOS ANGELES (United States) — Coco Gauff outlasted fellow American Jessica Pegula to win a tension-packed group stage opener 6-4, 6-7 (5/7), 6-2 in the WTA Finals at Indian Wells.
Two-time major winner Gauff fell behind 5-1 in the second set but saved three set points in the 10th game and captured five games in a row to seize a 6-5 edge.
Pegula denied a Gauff match point and held in the 12th game to force a tie-breaker, then jumped to a 5-2 lead and forced a third set with a forehand return winner.
Gauff seized a 3-0 lead in the third set and dominated from there, holding in the final game to take the match after two hours and 39 minutes when Pegula swatted a backhand beyond the baseline.
“I was having a lot of fun,” Gauff said. “I took a little break. First match in like a month. To play a tournament like this with no preparation is something I’ve never done in my career.
“I’m just really happy to get through. It was a tough match. It was 2 1/2 hours and I feel like every point was — I don’t know if you guys were holding my breath but me too, so just happy to be through.
“I’m really proud of myself for this one,” she added according to AFP.
Gauff, the 2023 US Open and 2025 French Open champion, and Pegula had split 10 prior career matches, Gauff winning the Cincinnati final and a Wimbledon quarter-final this year in their most recent prior meetings.
In the other Group One opener, reigning Wimbledon champion Linda Noskova defeated Marta Kostyuk 6-2, 6-4.
Noskova, a 21-year-old Czech, needed only 86 minutes to defeat Ukraine’s Kostyuk.
World number one and reigning champion Elena Rybakina withdrew from the WTA Finals due to a viral illness with Kostyuk replacing her at the California hardcourt event.
Noskova improved to 3-1 against Kostyuk, all matches coming this year as both made the WTA Finals for the first time.
