WTA Finals: Linda Noskova dismantles Coco Gauff to reach semi-finals
Noskova won 6-3 6-3 to become the first player in the last four, while Pegula beat Kostyuk 6-2 7-5.
Linda Noskova reached the WTA Finals semi-finals with a straight-sets win over Coco Gauff. Jessica Pegula kept her hopes alive by defeating Marta Kostyuk.
Key takeaways
- Noskova beat Gauff 6-3 6-3 on her tournament debut.
- Noskova is the first player to reach the semi-finals.
- Pegula won 6-2 7-5 against Kostyuk.
Linda Noskova has become the first player to reach the semi-finals of the WTA Finals after dismantling Coco Gauff 6-3 6-3, Sky Sports reported. The Czech world number eight won on her tournament debut at Indian Wells.
The 21-year-old played with controlled aggression and served brilliantly to beat the American, breaking Gauff's serve four times in the first set alone.
She sent powerful winners to all corners to outmuscle her opponent, who is one of the best movers on the WTA Tour, and committed only one unforced error in a dominant second set.
Noskova fittingly sealed victory with an ace to secure a place in the semi-finals.
Why it matters
Noskova advanced with two wins from two and has not dropped a set at the WTA Finals, underlining her excellent form as she continues to enjoy an outstanding season.
It is a sixth top-10 victory of the season for Noskova, who won her maiden Grand Slam at Wimbledon in July. Gauff, who won a thriller against compatriot Jessica Pegula on Sunday, had a poor day on serve.
She hit the same amount of aces and double faults - eight apiece - and won only six of 24 points behind her second serve. Fourth-ranked Gauff can still qualify for the last four, as can Pegula.
Pegula won 6-2 7-5 against Marta Kostyuk in a scrappy match that saw seven breaks of serve. Kostyuk, who has been dealing with a wrist injury since August, only found out she would be playing on Saturday after world number one Elena Rybakina withdrew.
She lost her opener to Noskova on Sunday and struggled for rhythm and consistency in a low-quality match against Pegula.
Pegula made only five unforced errors to Kostyuk's 17 as she took the first set, and the home favourite quickly went up a break in the second.
However, four breaks of serve then ensued, with Pegula eventually sealing the decisive break at 5-5 before serving out victory. After suffering two defeats, Kostyuk has been eliminated from the tournament.
The Ukrainian replaced world No 1 Elena Rybakina, who was forced to withdraw due to illness.
What happens next
The WTA Finals is the season-ending championship of the WTA Tour. It is the most significant tennis event in the women's annual calendar after the four majors, as it features the top eight singles players and top eight doubles teams based on their results throughout the season. The tournament will be contested by the eight highest-ranked singles players and doubles teams of the 2026 WTA Tour.
Group One results and standings
Match | Score |
|---|---|
Noskova v Gauff | 6-3 6-3 |
Pegula v Kostyuk | 6-2 7-5 |
Key figures
Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
Noskova's top-10 wins this season | 6 |
Gauff's aces and double faults | 8 each |
Gauff points won behind second serve | 6 of 24 |
Pegula unforced errors | 5 |
Kostyuk unforced errors | 17 |
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