Sports · Tennis · 2 hrs ago
Gauff beats Kostyuk but needs Pegula to lose to reach WTA Finals semis
Coco Gauff beat Marta Kostyuk 6-4, 7-5 in their WTA Finals group match in Indian Wells, California.
Gauff came back from 5-1 down in the second set to win the final six games.
The win alone does not secure her a place in the semifinals of the season-ending tournament.
Gauff advances only if Jessica Pegula loses to Linda Noskova later Thursday; a Pegula win would eliminate her.
Noskova has already qualified for the semifinals, while Kostyuk finished the group with three losses.
The match was Kostyuk’s first appearance at the Finals, after she entered as an alternate when Elena Rybakina withdrew because of a viral illness.
Gauff’s path now depends on Pegula’s result, which decides whether she continues in the tournament.
Coco Gauff beat Marta Kostyuk 6-4, 7-5 at the WTA Finals in Indian Wells on Thursday.
Gauff won the final six games after trailing 5-1 in the second set.
She played through a lower-back injury and made nine double faults.
Gauff will reach the semi-finals if Linda Noskova beats Jessica Pegula in their final group match.
If Pegula wins, Gauff will be eliminated.
- Who
- Coco Gauff beat Marta Kostyuk.
- What
- Gauff won 6-4, 7-5 in their WTA Finals group match.
- When
- Thursday, November 12, 2026.
- Where
- Indian Wells, California.
- Why
- Gauff needed to win to keep her semi-final hopes alive; she also needs Linda Noskova to beat Jessica Pegula.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Gauff beat Kostyuk 6-4, 7-5 after trailing 5-1 in the second set.
Linda Noskova was scheduled to play Jessica Pegula, with the result determining whether Gauff advances to the semi-finals.
- Match score
- Gauff beat Kostyuk 6-4, 7-5
- Second-set deficit
- Gauff trailed 5-1 before winning six games in a row
- Injury
- Gauff received treatment for a lower-back problem
- Double faults
- Gauff made nine
- Semi-final condition
- Gauff advances if Noskova beats Pegula
5 sources
Gauff battles through back injury to keep WTA Finals hopes alive
Gauff wins six straight games from 5-1 down to beat Kostyuk and keep WTA Finals hopes alive
Gauff rallies past Kostyuk at WTA Finals, waits on Pegula-Noskova outcome
Brad Gilbert picks the three best ‘movers’ on the WTA Tour and predicts Coco Gauff vs Marta Kostyuk
What people are saying
I don’t even know how I came back from 5-1
Physically, I wasn't at my best, which I'm not really used to.
It was like a mental challenge, learning how to play through that.