Jessica Pegula saved a match point on her way to a gritty 7-6 (7-2), 4-6, 7-5 win over Linda Noskova, advancing to the semi-finals at the WTA Finals and sending fellow American Coco Gauff out of the season-ending championships.
Pegula served a career-high 16 aces, while Wimbledon champion Noskova committed a career-high 15 double faults in a see-saw battle that lasted two hours and 45 minutes.
Noskova had already reached the semi-finals, but Pegula’s victory eliminated Gauff, despite Gauff’s earlier 6-4, 7-5 win over Ukrainian Marta Kostyuk.
Gauff, Pegula and Noskova each finished the group stage 2-1. Noskova went 5-2 in sets to top the group, followed by Pegula at 5-3 and Gauff at 4-3.
“I’ve learned that sometimes the serve feels good and sometimes it doesn’t, and how to manage the days when it doesn’t and to ride it when you are serving well,” Pegula told reporters.
“I don’t think I served that well in my first couple matches and I served great today. Sometimes there’s no rhyme or reason.”
Pegula to face Andreeva in semi-finals
The win sets up a grudge match between Pegula and teenager Mirra Andreeva in the semi-finals on Saturday.
“It’s the match people wanted, well now you are going to get it,” said Pegula.
Pegula had called Andreeva “a diva” who “needs to be humbled,” but she did not realize her remarks were being livestreamed during a practice session before the tournament. Pegula also praised the world No 3, although she later apologized to those involved.
“She’s fast, she has a great serve, she’s strong, she hits the ball pretty hard and she’s smart,” Pegula said.
WTA chair Valerie Camillo later apologized to Pegula for the “regrettable” incident.
Noskova will face the winner of Friday’s round-robin match between Aryna Sabalenka and Elina Svitolina.
Gauff beats alternate but misses semi-finals
Earlier, Gauff rallied to beat Kostyuk on a sun-soaked Stadium Two at Indian Wells. After sealing the first set with a volley that sent fans leaping to their feet, Gauff came back from 1-5 down in the second set, winning six games in a row.
“I was fully prepared to play a third set there,” said Gauff, who needed treatment on her back during the second set.
“It’s the last tournament of the season so I just wanted to finish it on a high note and give myself the best chance to play the semi-finals. Either way, I didn’t want to be sad walking off the court.”
Before Pegula and Noskova took the court, Gauff said she had a back-up plan for Saturday in Los Angeles, where Tyler, the Creator’s Camp Flog Gnaw Carnival is taking place this weekend.
“But I’m hoping not to be there,” Gauff said.
Kostyuk, who won the Madrid title and reached the French Open semi-finals, was already eliminated before her match after losing to Noskova and Pegula. She joined the eight-player tournament as an alternate after world No 1 Elena Rybakina withdrew due to illness, but she failed to win a set in her three matches as she struggled with a wrist injury.