Jessica Pegula saves match point to reach WTA Finals semi-finals

Jessica Pegula saved a match point to defeat Linda Noskova and reach the WTA Finals semi-finals. Her dramatic 7-6(2), 4-6, 7-5 victory in a two-hour, forty-six-minute thriller sets up a first-time clash with French Open champion Mirra Andreeva on Saturday.

Pegula needed the win after Coco Gauff's earlier victory over Marta Kostyuk. The American faced elimination when Noskova earned a match point at 5-4 in the deciding set. Pegula saved it with an ace and broke serve in the very next game to seal the match, aided by a net cord on her first match point. The result means Noskova, Pegula, and Gauff all finished group play with identical 2-1 records.

Pegula's record-breaking performance

Pegula's serve was her ultimate weapon. She fired a career-high 16 aces, surpassing her previous best of 14. This power was crucial in a match where she converted just one of seven break points in the second set. Noskova had broken early to lead 2-0 in the third, but Pegula broke back immediately for 2-2 to stay alive.

Noskova's dominant run ends in heartbreak

The 21-year-old Noskova had already secured her semi-final spot and entered the match with a perfect, straight-sets record at the tournament. Her dominant run ended in a tense battle described as 'the match people wanted'. Despite hitting nine aces, Noskova was undone by 15 double faults. She still topped the group on percentage of sets won, with Pegula finishing second.

Gauff's exit after back injury

Coco Gauff's season ended despite a gutsy 6-4, 7-5 win over Marta Kostyuk. Gauff rallied from a 5-1 deficit in the second set, winning six consecutive games to close out the match. She had previously overturned a 5-1 deficit to beat Pegula earlier in the tournament. The victory was not enough for her to advance. Gauff struggled physically, recording nine double faults and just one ace. "Physically, I wasn't at my best, which I'm not really used to," Gauff said. "It was like a mental challenge, learning how to play through that." Kostyuk, who received treatment for a wrist injury, was eliminated after two defeats.

In the other semi-final, Linda Noskova will face either Elina Svitolina or Aryna Sabalenka. The Women's Tennis Association chair apologized to Pegula after private comments about her next opponent, Mirra Andreeva, were accidentally live-streamed. Elena Rybakina withdrew from the tournament earlier due to illness.