Jessica Pegula saves match point to beat Linda Noskova at the WTA Finals and knock out Coco Gauff

Jessica Pegula saved a match point to beat Linda Noskova 7-6 (2), 4-6, 7-5 on Thursday, 12 November, on the final day of Group 1 at the FAGE WTA Finals in Indian Wells. The result put Pegula into the semi-finals and knocked out Coco Gauff, who had beaten Marta Kostyuk in straight sets earlier in the day.

All three contenders finished on two wins, so the second semi-final place came down to sets. Noskova topped the group with a 5-2 set record, Pegula was second at 5-3 and Gauff missed out at 4-3.

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Jessica Pegula vs. Linda Noskova | 2026 FAGE WTA Finals Group 1 | WTA Highlights — WTA · YouTube, plays on click

Pegula survives a match point

The match lasted 2 hours and 45 minutes and swung several times. Pegula took a tight opening set with a one-sided tie-break, Noskova levelled by taking the second 6-4, and the decider went to the wire. Serving at 4-5 in the third set, Pegula double-faulted to give Noskova a match point, according to the WTA's match report. She saved it, held for 5-5 and then won the last two games.

Her serve carried her through the long night: Pegula hit a career-high 16 aces, beating her previous best of 14, which also came against Noskova, in the Berlin final this season. The WTA noted that her first-serve percentage dropped from 61% in the first set to 50% in the second, before she steadied in the decider.

"I've learned that sometimes the serve feels good and sometimes it doesn't," Pegula told Sky Sports. She added that a defeat would have ended her season. "But I definitely wanted another chance to still be here," she told wtatennis.com.

Gauff wins but goes out

Gauff did everything she could on her side of the draw. Facing Kostyuk, who came into the event as an alternate after Elena Rybakina withdrew, the American won 6-4, 7-5. She trailed 5-1 in the second set and was treated for a tight lower back, then won six games in a row to close out the match.

"I did enter like a bit of a flow state in that second set," Gauff said, as quoted by wtatennis.com. The win left her at 2-1, but her three-set opening victory over Pegula on Sunday proved costly once Pegula beat Noskova. Kostyuk finished the round robin without a win or a set.

Pegula v Andreeva in Saturday's semi-finals

Pegula, the No. 5 seed, will face Group 2 winner Mirra Andreeva in the semi-finals on Saturday. It will be their first meeting on the WTA Tour and Pegula's third WTA Finals semi-final, after 2023 and 2025. "We haven't even practiced together that much, either," Pegula told wtatennis.com.

The match also follows an episode earlier in the event, when Pegula was heard on a practice-court livestream calling Andreeva "a diva". Pegula apologised, and the WTA also apologised for the broadcast, as reported by Sky Sports and Tennis Majors.

Noskova will play the Group 2 runner-up. That place is decided on Friday, 13 November, when No. 2 seed Aryna Sabalenka meets No. 6 seed Elina Svitolina.

Errani and Paolini finish unbeaten in doubles

In the doubles on the same day, Sara Errani and Jasmine Paolini beat Ellen Perez and Demi Schuurs 6-3, 6-4 in 1 hour and 15 minutes. The Italian eighth seeds won Group 2 with a 3-0 record, and it is the first time in three appearances at the WTA Finals that they have gone beyond the group stage.

Katerina Siniakova and Taylor Townsend took the other Group 2 place. They led Cristina Bucsa and Nicole Melichar-Martinez 6-2, 4-2 when Melichar-Martinez retired injured. The two Group 1 doubles places will be settled on Friday.

What it means

Group 1 was the tightest of the week, with the order decided by a single set. Pegula, who lost her opening match, has turned her week around with two wins, while Gauff, the 2024 champion, leaves despite a winning record. The full draw and results are on our WTA Finals page.