11/10/2026 06:10:00
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11/10 18:09 CST Linda Noskova bests Gauff to reach WTA Finals semis, Americans
battle for second spot
Linda Noskova bests Gauff to reach WTA Finals semis, Americans battle for
second spot
By DAVID KANE
Associated Press
INDIAN WELLS, Calif. (AP) --- Linda Noskova became the first to qualify for the
semifinal round of the 2026 WTA Finals, defeating Coco Gauff 6-3, 6-3 in 1 hour
and 15 minutes on Tuesday.
"Coco's a big competitor, so I was ready for everything to come my way today,"
said Noskova, the No. 8 seed. "I feel like I held myself through a lot of tough
situations."
Noskova, the reigning Wimbledon champion, posted a straight-sets victory to
guarantee her advancement out of round-robin play. The remaining Group 1 berth
will come down to Gauff or Jessica Pegula, who eliminated Marta Kostyuk from
contention on Tuesday.
The 21-year-old Noskova is making her WTA Finals debut after winning her first
Grand Slam title in July. She followed up her Sunday win over Kostyuk with a
strong performance against Gauff, who narrowly defeated Pegula in her first
round-robin match.
The youngest woman to make five consecutive WTA Finals since Martina Hingis
(1996-2000), the 22-year-old Gauff fell behind by a double-break in the first
set and was unable to keep up with Noskova's consistent play.
Noskova won five games in a row to earn a set and 3-0 lead and struck her ninth
ace on match point.
Pegula, who finished runner-up at the WTA Finals in 2023, kept hopes of a
semifinal return alive by defeating Kostyuk after two losses to the Ukrainian
this season. Kostyuk was a late alternate to the eight-woman field following
World No. 1 Elena Rybakina's withdrawal due to a viral illness.
Despite having no chance to advance to the semifinals, Kostyuk will play Gauff
on Thursday for the opportunity to avoid an 0-3 round-robin record and to earn
an additional $230,000 in prize money. The final Group 1 standings will be
determined by Thursday's results.
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