INDIAN WELLS, Calif. (AP) — Jessica Pegula saved a match point while winning the final three games to beat Linda Noskova 7-6 (2), 4-6, 7-5 in her round-robin group and advance to the semifinals of the WTA Finals on Thursday night.
Noskova had already advanced to the semifinals at the $10 million event in the Southern California desert, which was moved from Saudi Arabia because of the Iran war in the Middle East. She and Pegula went 2-1 in Group 1 play.
Pegula's victory knocked out Coco Gauff, her former doubles partner. Earlier, Gauff rallied to win the final six games and beat Marta Kostyuk 6-4, 7-5 in what turned out to be her final match of the year. Pegula lost to Gauff in three sets in their opening match at the season-ending championships.
Noskova, the Wimbledon champion, led 5-4 and held a match point on Pegula's serve in the third. But Pegula's serve bailed her out. She fired a career-high 16 aces, including one that tied the set, 5-all.
“I feel like no one's really given me credit for that stat,” Pegula said. “I've turned it around this year.”
She broke Noskova in the next game and closed out the match when a net cord fell back on Noskova's side on Pegula's first match point.
Pegula converted just one of seven break points in the 50-minute second set.
Gauff overcame serving issues and visits from a trainer to massage her back during the match. It initially stiffened up in her first match and bothers her on serves and forehands. She received a painkiller.
"I think it's kicking in now,” she said, laughing afterward, “so I feel good.”
Kostyuk raced to a 4-0 lead in in the second set, fighting off four break points to hold in the second game. Twice, Gauff double-faulted away games. She requested a trainer early in the set to work on her as she lay on her side while Kostyuk walked over to sit on the advertising board and chat with her team.
“I was just preparing to play a third (set) at that point,” Gauff said.
Kostyuk led 5-1 before Gauff's comeback began. She fought off three break points and hit a crosscourt forehand winner to trail 5-2.
Kostyuk's wrist began hurting in the first set and a trained tended to it.
“I couldn't really serve anymore,” she said. “I couldn't even hit the ball properly anymore, so I started to miss a lot. I was like, ‘I have to finish this match because it’s just not fair, like for everyone, if I would just stop here right now.'"
Gauff broke twice to tie the set at 5-5. Gauff held for a 6-5 lead and won the match on Kostyuk's netted forehand.
“One game turned into another and I think she got a little bit frustrated too, so that kind of helped me," Gauff said. "Once it was 5-all, I felt momentum was on my side and I just needed to keep my foot on the gas.”
Gauff led 5-2 in the first set before Kostyuk broke to close to 5-4. Gauff broke back in the next game with a gutsy crosscourt backhand volley winner to take the set.
Kostyuk got into the Finals as the first alternate after top-ranked Elena Rybakina withdrew because of a viral illness. The 24-year-old Ukrainian went 0-3 in Group 1 play.
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