INDIAN WELLS, Calif. (AP) — Jessica Pegula isn't known as one of the WTA Tour's big servers. Turns out deceptively mixing types of serves — kick, hard, flat — can be enough of a weapon to set up her baseline game.
Pegula fired a career-high 16 aces and saved a match point before winning the final three games to beat Linda Noskova 7-6 (2), 4-6, 7-5 in her round-robin group at the WTA Finals on Thursday. The victory moved the American into the semifinals to face Mirra Andreeva.
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“Even with 16 aces, it just goes to show how good of a player she is because I was still barely able to win the match,” Pegula said. “I tried to keep her guessing a little bit on the serve. I think that’s why I got some free points there.”
Noskova had already advanced to the semifinals at the $10 million event in the Southern California desert, which was moved from Saudi Arabia because of the Iran war in the Middle East. She and Pegula went 2-1 in Group 1 play.
Pegula’s victory knocked out Coco Gauff, her former doubles partner. Earlier, Gauff rallied to win the final six games and beat Marta Kostyuk 6-4, 7-5 in what turned out to be her final match of the year. Pegula lost to Gauff in three sets in their opening match at the season-ending championships.
Noskova, the Wimbledon champion, led 5-4 and held a match point on Pegula’s serve in the third. But Pegula’s serve bailed her out. She tied the set 5-all with an ace.
“I’ve just gotten used to learning how to hit a lot of different serves,” she said. “If one serve isn’t working, I do feel I have other options I can go to.”
Pegula broke Noskova in the next game and closed out the match when a net cord fell back on Noskova's side on her first match point.
All five of their career meetings have gone three sets.
“It was a battle ‘til the end, as I expected,” Noskova said. “I’m glad I found my rhythm today, found my tennis. I'm glad I'm kind of improving and hopefully it will be even better in the next one.”
Gauff overcame serving issues and visits from a trainer to massage her back during the match. It initially stiffened up in her first match.
Kostyuk raced to a 4-0 lead in in the second set, fighting off four break points to hold in the second game. Twice, Gauff double-faulted away games. She requested a trainer early in the set to work on her as she lay on her side while Kostyuk walked over to sit on the advertising board and chat with her team.
“I was just preparing to play a third (set) at that point,” Gauff said.
Kostyuk led 5-1 before Gauff's comeback began. She fought off three break points and hit a crosscourt forehand winner to trail 5-2.
Kostyuk's wrist began hurting in the first set and a trained tended to it.
“I couldn't really serve anymore,” she said. “I couldn't even hit the ball properly anymore, so I started to miss a lot. I was like, ‘I have to finish this match because it’s just not fair, like for everyone, if I would just stop here right now.'"
Gauff broke twice to tie the set at 5-5. Gauff held for a 6-5 lead and won the match on Kostyuk's netted forehand.
“One game turned into another and I think she got a little bit frustrated too, so that kind of helped me," Gauff said. "Once it was 5-all, I felt momentum was on my side and I just needed to keep my foot on the gas.”
Gauff led 5-2 in the first set before Kostyuk broke to close to 5-4. Gauff broke back in the next game with a gutsy crosscourt backhand volley winner to take the set.
Kostyuk got into the Finals as the first alternate after top-ranked Elena Rybakina withdrew because of a viral illness. The 24-year-old Ukrainian went 0-3 in Group 1 play.
In doubles, Katerina Siniakova and Taylor Townsend advanced to the semifinals. They were leading 6-4, 4-2 when Nicole Melichar-Martinez and Cristina Bucsa were forced to retire after Melichar-Martinez fell during a point and hurt her knee.
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