Jessica Pegula found a weapon few expected at the WTA Finals.
The American fired a career best 16 aces and saved a match point before winning the final three games to beat Wimbledon champion Linda Noskova 7-6 (2), 4-6, 7-5 on Thursday in Indian Wells, California.
The win sent Jessica Pegula into the semifinals against Mirra Andreeva.
How did Jessica Pegula win?
Pegula is not known as one of the tour’s biggest servers. Instead, she mixed kick, hard and flat serves to keep Noskova guessing and set up her game from the baseline.
She said that variety earned her free points and gave her other options when one serve wasn’t working. She credited Noskova, saying she barely won even with 16 aces. She said she has worked hard to learn many different serves over the years.
How did Jessica Pegula save match point?
Noskova led 5-4 in the third set and held a match point on Pegula’s serve. Pegula answered with an ace to tie the set at 5 games apiece.
She broke Noskova in the next game and closed out the match on her first match point when a net cord dropped back onto Noskova’s side.
All five of their career meetings have gone three sets. Noskova, who had already clinched a semifinal spot, called it a battle to the end and said she was glad to find her rhythm. She said she hoped to be even better in her next match.
Why was Coco Gauff eliminated?
Jessica Pegula’s victory knocked out Coco Gauff, her former doubles partner.
Noskova and Pegula both finished 2-1 in Group 1. Gauff, who beat Pegula in three sets in their opening match, also went 2-1 but missed out on the semifinals. Tiebreakers such as sets and games won decide spots when players finish level.
Earlier Thursday, Gauff rallied from 5-1 down in the second set and won the final six games to beat Marta Kostyuk 6-4, 7-5 in what became her last match of the year. Kostyuk had raced to a 4-0 lead in the second set before Gauff’s comeback began.
She battled serving trouble and back stiffness, double faulting away two games and needing a trainer to massage her back. She said she was preparing for a third set at that point. Her back first stiffened in her opening match.
Kostyuk was hurting too. Her wrist began bothering her in the first set, and she said she could no longer serve or hit the ball properly but wanted to finish out of fairness to everyone.
Gauff broke twice to level the second set at 5 games apiece, held for a 6-5 lead and won when Kostyuk netted a forehand. She said she felt the momentum shift once the set was tied.
Kostyuk, 24, entered as the first alternate after top ranked Elena Rybakina withdrew with a viral illness. The Ukrainian finished 0-3.
Who will Jessica Pegula face next?
Jessica Pegula will meet Mirra Andreeva, who won Group 2 after routing Aryna Sabalenka 6-4, 6-0 earlier this week.
Andreeva, 19, has been one of the breakout stars of the event.
The $10 million tournament was moved from Saudi Arabia to the Southern California desert because of the Iran war. The final is set for Sunday, Nov. 15.
What happened in doubles?
Taylor Townsend and Katerina Siniakova reached the doubles semifinals. They led 6-4, 4-2 when Nicole Melichar-Martinez and Cristina Bucsa retired after Melichar-Martinez fell during a point and hurt her knee.
Townsend, one of the top doubles players in the world, gives American fans another reason to watch the final weekend alongside Jessica Pegula.
