Linda Noskova clinched a semifinal berth at the WTA Finals in Indian Wells with a 6-3, 6-3 victory over Coco Gauff on Tuesday, becoming the first player from her round-robin group to advance.
The reigning Wimbledon champion improved to 2-0 in the group, dropping no sets, and will face Jessica Pegula in her final round-robin match on Thursday with the top spot already secured. Noskova said every win in the competition feels like an accomplishment, emphasizing that all players are on the same level.
Noskova said: "I feel like in this competition, any win means a lot. It's not exactly specific. If I win against world number one or world number seven, we're all on the same level here. So it's a win is a win."
Despite the loss, Gauff remains in contention for the second semifinal spot. She will meet Marta Kostyuk on Thursday, while Pegula kept her hopes alive with a 6-2, 7-5 win over Kostyuk earlier in the day. Kostyuk, a late replacement for top seed Elena Rybakina, was eliminated after losing both matches in straight sets.
Pegula, who had lost to Kostyuk twice earlier in 2026, said she focused on winning her match rather than tracking permutation scenarios. Each round-robin win is worth $230,000, providing motivation for all players through the final matches.
Group Standings After Day 3
Linda Noskova: 2-0 (4-0 sets, 24-12 games, 66.67%) – qualified for semifinals.
Coco Gauff: 1-1 (2-3 sets, 24-25 games, 49.0%).
Jessica Pegula: 1-1 (3-2 sets, 26-25 games, 50.1%).
Marta Kostyuk: 0-2 (0-4 sets, 13-25 games, 46.4%) – eliminated.
Thursday's matches: Noskova vs. Pegula, followed by Gauff vs. Kostyuk. The second semifinalist from the group will be determined by those results.
In the other group, Wednesday's schedule features Elina Svitolina vs. Karolina Muchova at noon, followed by Aryna Sabalenka vs. Mirra Andreeva. Advancement and elimination scenarios depend on set and game counts.
