The WTA Finals opened with an American showdown that lived up to the hype. Two of America’s top players pushed each other for nearly three hours before one finally pulled away.
Coco Gauff beat Jessica Pegula 6 to 4, 6 to 7, 6 to 2 on Sunday, Nov. 8, 2026, in her first match at the WTA Finals at Indian Wells Tennis Garden.
How did Coco Gauff beat Pegula?
Gauff, the fourth seed, saved three break points after falling behind 0 to 40 at 4 all in the first set, then broke Pegula in the next game to take the set. It was the only break of the opening set.
Pegula answered in the second set, building a lead of 5 to 1. Gauff won five straight games and had a match point at 6 to 5, but Pegula recovered to win the tiebreaker, sealing it with a forehand return winner. The comeback showed Pegula’s fighting spirit.
Coco Gauff took control of the third set by winning the first three games. A missed overhead by Pegula gave her two more match points, and she closed out the win on her third chance after 2 hours and 39 minutes.
What did Coco Gauff say after the win?
Gauff, 22, said she was having a lot of fun and joked that she left bits of rubber from her shoes on the court. She said she did not get too down on herself after missing a match point in the second set.
She said the key was staying aggressive, though she also had to do a lot of running. It was her first match in more than a month. The long layoff did not appear to slow her down.
The win gives Coco Gauff a 6 to 5 career edge over Pegula, a close friend and frequent doubles partner. Gauff also won their most recent meeting before this one, in Cincinnati in August.
Why did Rybakina withdraw?
World No. 1 Elena Rybakina, last year’s champion and the winner of this year’s Australian Open and U.S. Open, withdrew before the tournament because of a viral illness.
Marta Kostyuk replaced her as an alternate and lost her opening match to Linda Noskova, 6 to 2, 6 to 4. Kostyuk will get another chance against Pegula.
Rybakina had also pulled out of a tournament in Tokyo late last month with a minor injury. Her absence leaves the field without its top player and defending champion.
Who does Coco Gauff play next?
Coco Gauff will face Noskova, the eighth seed and reigning Wimbledon champion, in her next group match. Pegula will play Kostyuk after both lost their openers.
In the round robin format, each player faces the other three in her group, and the top two advance to the semifinals. That leaves little room for error after an opening loss.
Gauff won the WTA Finals in 2024 and has won two Grand Slam titles, at the 2023 U.S. Open and the 2025 French Open. She has been one of the most consistent players on tour in recent seasons.
Why is the event at Indian Wells?
The tournament moved to Indian Wells, home of the BNP Paribas Open, because of instability in the Middle East. It had been held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, since 2024. The desert venue also marks the first time since 2023 that the event has been played outdoors.
The WTA Finals will move again in 2027, this time to Charlotte, North Carolina.
For Coco Gauff, the strong start puts her in position to chase a second WTA Finals title. Her next test against a Grand Slam champion could tell a lot about her chances.
