Jessica Pegula saved a match point on Thursday at Indian Wells to defeat Linda Noskova 7-6 (2), 4-6, 7-5 in 2 hours, 45 minutes, earning a spot in the Yahoo Sports semifinals.
Pegula finished group play with a 2-1 record. She claimed the second transfer spot over Coco Gauff by winning five sets to Gauff’s four. This is her third WTA Finals semifinal appearance after trips in 2023 and 2025. She reached this stage after losing her opening round-robin match.
“I just kept telling myself, 'This could be your last match for the year, so go out and compete, and you can hold your head high for the rest of the year,” Pegula told reporters, and she is the first player to win a WTA Finals match after saving a match point since Simona Halep in 2019, according to the Women's Tennis Association.
Semifinal bound ✈️@JPegula is into the final 4 after an epic three-set battle against Noskova!#FAGEWTAFinals | #TheUltimateStage pic.twitter.com/zyqb19FIim
Pegula hit a career-high 16 aces. She previously hit 14 against Noskova in Berlin. Noskova increased her aggression on the second serve to build rhythm, as “I think I just went out and I trusted it. But there were still ups and downs. At times, I don't think either of us were serving that great. Our first-serve percentages were pretty low,” Pegula said, noting Pegula's first-serve percentage dropped from 61% in the opening set to 50% in the second.
The Czech player Noskova hit 15 double faults and nine aces. She had already clinched the top position in Group 1.
Noskova led 2-0 in the third set. She held a match point on Pegula’s serve at 5-4 after a Pegula double fault. Pegula held to make it 5-all. She broke at 6-5 to seal the win. Gauff had stayed alive earlier Thursday with a 6-4, 7-5 victory over Marta Kostyuk despite a lower back injury.
The match features the fourth-largest age gap between semifinalists in event history. It trails Billie Jean King and Tracy Austin in 1980. It trails Martina Navratilova and Arantxa Sanchez Vicario in 1989. It also trails Venus Williams and Caroline Garcia in 2017.
The Women’s Tennis Association chair apologized to Pegula before the tournament. This followed private comments she made to her coach about Andreeva that were live-streamed.
Pegula said she is pleased to have an extra day to prepare for her younger opponent.
Earlier coverage: Jessica Pegula Defeats Linda Noskova to Reach WTA Finals Semifinals
