Coco Gauff absolutely gutted out a win over fellow American Jessica Pegula in their WTA Finals group stage opener, taking it 6-4, 6-7 (5/7), 6-2 on Sunday in Indian Wells. This wasn’t just any win, either. It was a tension-packed battle that stretched for two hours and 39 minutes, with Gauff herself admitting she hadn’t played a tournament like this with no preparation ever before in her career.
Gauff’s Gritty Comeback Stuns Pegula
The match was a rollercoaster, especially in the second set. Gauff, a two-time major winner with titles at the 2023 US Open and 2025 French Open, found herself trailing Pegula 5-1. What’s more, she had to save three set points in the tenth game before roaring back to capture five games in a row, seizing a 6-5 lead. Everyone watching must have been holding their breath, because Gauff was too. Pegula, however, wasn’t ready to concede, denying Gauff a match point and holding in the 12th game to force a tie-breaker. Pegula then jumped out to a 5-2 lead in the tie-breaker, sealing the second set with a forehand return winner and forcing a decisive third. But Gauff wasn’t done. She seized a 3-0 lead in the third set and dominated from there, holding in the final game to take the match when Pegula swatted a backhand beyond the baseline. “I was having a lot of fun,” Gauff said after the marathon. “I took a little break. First match in like a month. To play a tournament like this with no preparation is something I’ve never done in my career. I’m really proud of myself for this one.”
Group One’s Other Showdown and Tournament Context
This match added another chapter to the Gauff-Pegula rivalry, who had split 10 prior career matches. Gauff had most recently beaten Pegula in the Cincinnati final and a Wimbledon quarter-final this year. In the other Group One opener, reigning Wimbledon champion Linda Noskova defeated Marta Kostyuk 6-2, 6-4 in a much quicker 86 minutes. Noskova, a 21-year-old Czech, now holds a 3-1 record against Ukraine’s Kostyuk this year, with wins at the US Open fourth round and Wimbledon semi-finals, though Kostyuk did claim a victory on her way to the Madrid clay crown. Kostyuk is actually at the WTA Finals as a replacement for world number one and reigning champion Elena Rybakina, who withdrew on Saturday due to a viral illness. The tournament itself has seen some shifts, originally scheduled for Saudi Arabia, but moved to Indian Wells in July after US military strikes on Iran in February and subsequent war in the region.
Gauff is through her first challenge, a truly tough test after a month off. With her grit already on full display, you have to wonder what she’ll bring to the court next in this high-stakes tournament.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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