Coco Gauff defeated compatriot Jessica Pegula 6-4, 5-7(5), 6-2 in a 2-hour and 39-minute battle during the opening day of the WTA Finals.
The Sunday victory at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden lifts Gauff to a 1-0 record in Group A play. Pegula drops to 0-1 following the gruelling three-set encounter in the California desert.
Coco Gauff (4ª) impidió la remontada de Jessica Pegula (5ª) para dar el primer paso en las WTA Finals 2026, ganando por tercera edición su primer partido en el torneo.
Gauff erased a 5-1 deficit in the second set, winning five consecutive games to reach 6-5 and earning a match point before Pegula forced a tie-break. Pegula clinched the second set on her fifth opportunity to level the match.
In the final set, Gauff seized control early by converting break points at 0-0 and 0-2. The Delray Beach native secured three total breaks in the decider to seal the victory on her serve.
Gauff said emotional control was important during high-pressure moments. “It was vital to stay focused; I didn’t let myself get carried away by euphoria or anxiety, and that was the key to coming out on top in such a high-quality match,” Gauff said.
“What she forced me to do to win the second set was the reason why she beat me easily afterwards,” Pegula acknowledged in her post-match press conference. “I had to spend a huge amount of energy, and it threw me off.”
Pegula calificó a Gauff como la mejor del mundo
defendiendo la pista y destacó que pelea cada pelota, sin importar lo que marque el marcador.
Linda Noskova secured the other Group A victory on opening day, defeating Marta Kostyuk 6-2, 6-4 in 1 hour and 26 minutes. Kostyuk stepped into the draw on Saturday as a late replacement for Elena Rybakina, who withdrew due to a viral illness.
Looking ahead to Tuesday’s second round of matches, Gauff will face Noskova, while Pegula meets Kostyuk in a match to keep her chances of qualifying alive.
Linda Noskova is the number 8 in the world and champion in Wimbledon, while Marta Kostyuk is number 10.
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