Gauff WTA Finals bid opens with win over Pegula

Gauff WTA Finals hopes got off to a winning start as Coco Gauff beat fellow American Jessica Pegula 6-4, 6-7 (5-7), 6-2 at Indian Wells, California, in her opening round-robin match, BBC Sport reported.

The 22-year-old, champion in 2024 and the number four seed this year, needed three sets and plenty of running to get past the 2023 runner-up, despite having played no matches since the China Open in early October.

How the Gauff WTA Finals win unfolded

The first set was close. Gauff saved three break points to hold serve for 5-4, then broke Pegula in the next game to take the set.

Pegula took control of the second set. She won each of Gauff's first three service games and raced into a 5-1 lead before Gauff hit back by winning the next three games. Serving at 5-4, Pegula wasted three set points, and after missing two break points in the following game she shouted in frustration and slammed her racquet into the court. She then saved a match point on her own serve and went on to win the tie-break 7-5.

Gauff was much stronger in the deciding set. She won the first three games, kept her lead and converted her third match point, celebrating with a loud roar.

Gauff on playing with no preparation

"I'm really proud of myself for this one," Gauff told BBC Sport. She said she had never played a tournament like this without any preparation, and was simply happy to get through what she called a tough match that she still enjoyed.

She praised her opponent, saying the two Americans "always go back and forth", and said the key had been to stay aggressive while running a lot. She joked that her shoes were badly torn and that she would need a new pair for her next match.

Key facts from the opening match:

• Score: Gauff beat Pegula 6-4, 6-7 (5-7), 6-2.
• Milestone: Gauff is the youngest player to appear at five straight WTA Finals since Martina Hingis in 2000.
• Season: her only title this year came against Pegula in the Cincinnati Open final in August.
• Next: Gauff plays Wimbledon champion Linda Noskova; Pegula faces Marta Kostyuk.

Noskova starts fast as Rybakina withdraws

In the opening match of the event, 21-year-old Czech Linda Noskova beat Ukraine's Marta Kostyuk 6-2, 6-4, winning all four of her break points. Kostyuk was a late call-up after world number one Elena Rybakina withdrew on Saturday because of illness.

Pegula, 32, has had a strong season, winning titles in Dubai and Charleston and reaching the semi-finals of the Australian Open and the US Open. She is only four wins behind Rybakina's tour-leading total of 54 for the year, even though she had played only one match since the US Open ended in September.

How the WTA Finals work

The season-ending event brings together the top eight players of the year, split into two groups of four. Each player meets the others in her group, and the top two from each group go through to the semi-finals. The final is on Sunday.

With Rybakina out, the field is more open, and Gauff now faces the in-form Wimbledon champion in her second match. A win over Noskova would put her in a strong position to reach the last four again.

Tennis fans in Thailand can follow the event after a big week for the men's tour, which saw Alcaraz win the Paris Masters. In motor sport, Lando Norris also took the headlines with his Sao Paulo Grand Prix win.

Full match coverage is available from BBC Sport.

Image: Coco Gauff at the 2026 Miami Open, ahead of her Gauff WTA Finals campaign. Photo by Rick Munroe via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.