Linda Noskova defeated Coco Gauff 6-3, 6-3 on Tuesday in 1 hour and 15 minutes at the WTA Finals, becoming the first player to secure a spot in the tournament semifinals, according to Radio-Canada.
Noskova Secures Semifinal Berth
Playing in her first career WTA Finals at age 21, Noskova controlled the match from the baseline and closed out the victory with her ninth ace on match point, Radio-Canada reported. The Czech eighth seed entered the tournament following her first Grand Slam title victory in July.
Coco est une adversaire redoutable, donc je m’attendais à tout aujourd’hui,
Noskova stated, as reported by Radio-Canada. J’ai le sentiment d’avoir su gérer de nombreuses situations difficiles.
For Gauff, the 22-year-old American suffered a double break in the opening set and failed to match Noskova’s sustained pace, Radio-Canada noted. Gauff earned a place in the year-end tournament for the fifth year, matching a feat last accomplished by Martina Hingis between 1996 and 2000.
Pegula Stays Alive Against Kostyuk
Jessica Pegula kept her semifinal hopes intact on Tuesday by eliminating Marta Kostyuk in straight sets, 6-2, 7-5, as reported by Radio-Canada. Pegula, who finished as the runner-up at the 2023 WTA Finals, overcame two prior losses to the Ukrainian player earlier in the season.
Kostyuk entered the eight-player singles field as an alternate following the withdrawal of world number one Elena Rybakina due to a viral infection, according to Radio-Canada reporting. Despite elimination from semifinal contention, Kostyuk will face Gauff on Thursday in the final round of Group 1 matches to avoid an 0-3 record and contest additional prize money.
Gauff and Pegula Battle for Group 1 Semifinal Berth
The remaining semifinal berth from Group 1 will be decided directly between Gauff and Pegula following Thursday’s round-robin conclusions, Radio-Canada confirmed. Gauff opened her tournament campaign on Sunday with a grueling three-set victory over Pegula lasting 2 hours and 39 minutes, taking the match 6-4, 6-7 (5), 6-2, according to Tennis World France.
Mentalement, je pense que c’est là que s’est faite la plus grande différence,
Gauff explained after her opening win, as noted by Tennis World France. Je ne me suis pas emballée et je ne suis pas non plus tombée trop bas.
Prior to Tuesday’s defeat against Noskova, analysts at RMC Sport noted that Gauff held a 2-1 career head-to-head advantage over the Czech player, though Noskova won their most recent meeting on clay in Madrid earlier in the season.
Group 1 Concludes on Thursday to Determine Knockout Participants
The round-robin stage concludes on Thursday with Group 1 final fixtures, determining which American joins Noskova in the knockout rounds. Official updates, match schedules, and live scores remain available through the Women’s Tennis Association official portal.
