Gauff battles through back injury to keep WTA Finals hopes alive
Jessica Pegula secured her spot in the WTA Finals semi-finals after overcoming Linda Noskova in a tight three-set battle, finishing 7-6, 4-6, 7-5. Pegula relied on a career-high 16 aces and successfully fended off a match point during the final set to eliminate Coco Gauff from contention.
She is now set to face Mirra Andreeva in the next round. Noskova, who had already qualified for the knockout stage, awaits her opponent between Elina Svitolina and Aryna Sabalenka.
Earlier in the day, Coco Gauff managed a gritty 6-4, 7-5 victory over Marta Kostyuk despite dealing with a lower back injury that required medical attention. Gauff overcame a 5-1 deficit in the second set to complete the comeback, marking the second time she has rallied from such a margin during the tournament.
Both Gauff and Kostyuk struggled with physical ailments throughout their match, with Kostyuk also managing a persistent wrist issue.
