Sports · Tennis · 5 hrs ago
Gauff beats Pegula in opening match at 2026 WTA Finals
Coco Gauff beat Jessica Pegula in her opening match at the 2026 WTA Finals in Indian Wells, California.
The two Americans played for two hours and 39 minutes, with Gauff winning 6-4, 6-7, 6-2.
Gauff had gone more than a month without a match, after last competing at the China Open in early October.
The eight-player Finals uses a round-robin format, so players must keep winning to advance.
Gauff, a two-time Grand Slam champion who won this event in 2024, said she was pleased to get through despite having no recent match preparation.
She next faces Linda Noskova, while Pegula is due to play Marta Kostyuk.
Kostyuk entered the draw as a late replacement for Elena Rybakina, who withdrew with a viral illness.
Coco Gauff defeated fellow American Jessica Pegula in her opening match at the 2026 WTA Finals.
Gauff won 6-4, 6-7 (5), 6-2 in a round-robin match at Indian Wells Tennis Garden.
The match lasted 2 hours and 39 minutes.
Gauff improved her career record against Pegula to 6-5.
Gauff will next face Linda Noskova, while Pegula is due to play alternate Marta Kostyuk.
- Who
- Coco Gauff and Jessica Pegula, both American tennis players.
- What
- Gauff beat Pegula 6-4, 6-7 (5), 6-2 in their opening round-robin match at the WTA Finals.
- When
- Sunday, November 8, 2026.
- Where
- Indian Wells Tennis Garden in Indian Wells, California.
- Why
- The match was part of Group 1 in the eight-player WTA Finals round-robin draw.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Gauff last competed at the China Open in early October, where she was beaten by Elise Mertens in the third round.
Gauff defeated Pegula in her opening Group 1 match at the WTA Finals.
Gauff is set to face Linda Noskova, while Pegula is due to play Marta Kostyuk.
- Match score
- Gauff beat Pegula 6-4, 6-7 (5), 6-2
- Match duration
- 2 hours, 39 minutes
- Gauff's career record against Pegula
- 6-5
- Tournament venue
- Indian Wells Tennis Garden, California
- Gauff's next opponent
- Linda Noskova
6 sources
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Coco Gauff states what she has done for the first time in her career after beating Jessica Pegula at the WTA Finals
Gauff beats Pegula to open 2026 WTA Finals
Coco Gauff beats Jessica Pegula in all-American match at WTA Finals
What people are saying
I was having a lot of fun today
I think today, the key was just trying to be aggressive, but I also had to run a lot.
To play a tournament like this with no preparation is something I’ve never done in my career, but I’m just really happy to get through today.
Posts on X
4 - This will be the fourth WTA Finals' meeting between Jessica Pegula and Coco Gauff - In the history of the event (since 1972), players to face each other more often at the event (all five): Navratilova-Shriver Radwanska-Kvitova Clijsters-Dementieva Classic. #FAGEWTAFinals