Jessica Pegula saved a match point to beat Linda Noskova 7-6 (2), 4-6, 7-5 in 2 hours 46 minutes in Group 1 of the WTA Finals in Indian Wells on Thursday night. The American reached the semi-finals and knocked out her compatriot Coco Gauff, who had beaten Marta Kostyuk earlier in the day.

Noskova, Pegula and Gauff all finished with a 2-1 record. Noskova tops the group on percentage of sets won, ahead of Pegula, while Gauff, with four sets won and three lost, misses out.

WTA Finals Group 1: final standings

Pegula escapes at 5-4

Pegula won a first-set tie-break 7-2, but Noskova, who had already clinched her place in the semi-finals, fought back to take the second set 6-4. Pegula converted only one of her seven break points in that set.

Noskova broke early to lead 2-0 in the decider. Pegula broke back for 2-2, but the Czech moved ahead again and earned a match point at 5-4, on the American’s serve. Pegula saved it with her serve, then held with an ace for 5-5. She broke in the next game and closed it out on her first match point, when a net cord fell on Noskova’s side.

Pegula finished with 16 aces, a career high. Her previous best was 14, also against Noskova, in the Berlin final this year. Noskova now leads their head-to-head 3-2.

Pegula faces Andreeva, Gauff’s season is over

As runner-up in Group 1, Pegula will face Mirra Andreeva in the semi-finals on Saturday. It will be their first meeting since Pegula was caught on a hot mic criticising the Russian during practice earlier in the week. Noskova will play the runner-up of Group 2, decided on Friday between Aryna Sabalenka and Elina Svitolina.

For Gauff, the 2024 champion, it was the last match of the season. She had come back from 5-1 down in the second set to beat Kostyuk 6-4, 7-5, despite being treated for her lower back. Her opening win over Pegula, 6-4, 6-7 (5), 6-2, had come in three sets, and that dropped set made the difference in the end.