Two of America’s best players will meet right out of the gate when the WTA season finale gets underway. Last year’s finalists landed in separate groups, keeping a rematch possible only in the later rounds.
Coco Gauff and Jessica Pegula landed in the same group in the WTA Finals draw on Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026, with world No. 1 Elena Rybakina also in the group.
What did the WTA Finals draw produce?
The WTA Finals draw split the eight singles qualifiers into two groups of four. Group 1 includes Rybakina, the defending champion, along with fourth seed Gauff, fifth seed Pegula and eighth seed Linda Noskova.
Group 2 is led by world No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka, joined by third seed Mirra Andreeva, sixth seed Elina Svitolina and seventh seed Karolina Muchova.
Each player faces the other three in her group over the first six days, and the top two from each group advance to the semifinals. The tournament begins Sunday and runs through Nov. 15.
Who plays first after the WTA Finals draw?
Rybakina opens play Sunday against Noskova, followed by the marquee matchup of the WTA Finals draw, Gauff against Pegula. Their rivalry is tied at six wins apiece, and Gauff won their most recent meeting in Cincinnati in August.
Sabalenka leads off Monday against Muchova, followed by Andreeva against Svitolina. Sabalenka has been one of the most consistent players on tour this season.
Andreeva, who won the French Open, Muchova and Wimbledon champion Noskova are making their first appearances at the season finale. Their arrival signals a new generation pushing into the sport’s elite.
Why is the event at Indian Wells?
The tournament was moved to the Southern California desert from Saudi Arabia because of safety and security concerns tied to the war with Iran. It is being played at Indian Wells Tennis Garden, home of the BNP Paribas Open each March.
It is the first time since 2023, when the event was held in Cancun, Mexico, that the finals will be played outdoors.
Rybakina, who won the U.S. Open this year, said she was very excited and noted that conditions change every year. She said the field is full of tough players and great champions.
She withdrew from a tournament in Tokyo last week with a minor injury to make sure she would be ready.
Who are the favorites?
Rybakina beat Sabalenka in last year’s final and will finish the year as world No. 1. Sabalenka will try to avenge that loss, while Gauff and Pegula hope to give American fans a champion.
Gauff won the title in 2024. She and Pegula are close friends who have also played doubles together.
The WTA Finals draw also sets up an intriguing group for Sabalenka, who must face three players looking to make a statement.
What did the WTA Finals draw set up in doubles?
In doubles, top seeds Gabriela Dabrowski and Luisa Stefani lead Group 1, which also includes Guo Hanyu and Kristina Mladenovic, Taiwan’s Hsieh and Jelena Ostapenko and defending champion Elise Mertens with Zhang Shuai.
American Taylor Townsend and Katerina Siniakova, the second seeds, lead Group 2 along with a team led by Cristina Bucsa, Ellen Perez and Demi Schuurs and the Italian pair of Sara Errani and Jasmine Paolini. Townsend has become one of the world’s top doubles players and a leading voice for players of color in tennis.
Mertens won last year’s title with Veronika Kudermetova. They beat Stefani and Timea Babos in that final.
With the WTA Finals draw complete, the season’s best players now get one last chance to end the year with a title.
