Jessica Pegula defeated Marta Kostyuk 6-2, 7-5, keeping her qualification hopes alive at the WTA Finals, sources reported.
Pegula entered the match having lost both of her previous head-to-head encounters against the 24-year-old from Kyiv earlier in the season, according to SuperTennis. Kostyuk had defeated her in the Brisbane semifinals on hard courts and in the third round on the clay of Madrid.
La Gazzetta dello Sport noted this was the fifth victory in eight meetings for Pegula against Kostyuk. La Gazzetta dello Sport reported that the player seeded fifth placed a match of great experience demonstrating a level worthy of the tournament of the best eight, showing the ability to express herself with quality and quantity on hard courts, especially that of Indian Wells.
Kostyuk entered the tournament as an alternate following Elena Rybakina’s withdrawal due to a virus, as reported by Sportmediaset. SuperTennis noted that Kostyuk arrived at the end of the season in less-than-optimal condition and had not won a match since the US Open third round against Alexandrova.
La Gazzetta dello Sport noted that the Ukrainian confirmed the difficulties of approach here at Indian Wells, suffering a Pegula in a state of grace.
Pegula dominated the opening set with a disciplined display, committing only three unforced errors compared to 17 from Kostyuk, according to SuperTennis.
La Gazzetta dello Sport reported that the American secured an immediate break in the first game and lost only two points on her first serve during the opening set. SuperTennis also noted that Pegula signed her first success since the last Slam of the season, in the quarterfinals against Navarro.
Kostyuk struggled with her serve throughout the opening two matches of the tournament, committing a total of 15 double faults, including nine in this match, SuperTennis reported. In the second set, the Ukrainian twice recovered from a break down and saved two break points in the ninth game to pull ahead 5-4.
Kostyuk then committed a double fault at 6-5 to hand Pegula the opportunity to serve out the match, according to SuperTennis.
Pegula converted the chance to secure her 25th match win of the season in tournaments held in the United States, as La Gazzetta dello Sport noted this became just a formality for her to close the meeting and win the first match at the event in her tournament, keeping everything still open in the group to aim for passing the round.
Following the result, Pegula will face Linda Noskova in her final group match, La Gazzetta dello Sport reported. Noskova secured a straight-sets victory over Coco Gauff (6-3, 6-3) to claim her second win and advance to the semifinals with a match to spare, according to La Gazzetta dello Sport.
La Gazzetta dello Sport added that if Noskova were to lose, the match of the last round one against the other will practically be a playoff.
Marta Kostyuk became the first player eliminated from the singles field at this year’s WTA Finals, La Gazzetta dello Sport reported. Pegula’s encounter with Noskova will determine the final group standings.
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