The 2026 WTA Finals, featuring the top eight WTA players, including Coco Gauff and Jessica Pegula, is being played at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden in California this year. However, the venue choice has sparked debate online.

According to tennis insider Jose Morgado, the opening match between Linda Nosková and Marta Kostyuk will be played at Stadium 2, which accommodates about 8,000 spectators. This is despite the facility having access to the venue’s 16,000-seat Stadium 1.

This left several tennis fans wondering why.

“It hurts my heart that the WTA was insecure about being able to sell out the main stadium. Have some more faith in women’s tennis!” one fan said.

Here are more reactions:

According to Spanish tennis publication CLAY, ‘the reason for picking Stadium 2 for the tournament’s exclusive stage was the organizers’ expectations of fan attendance. The publication noted the organizers were unsure they could fill a 16,000-seat Stadium 1.

The 2026 WTA Finals are being held in California because the WTA and Saudi Tennis Federation mutually agreed to end their hosting agreement one year early. From 2027 to 2029, the year-end championship tournament will be held in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Coco Gauff Overcomes Jessica Pegula Challenge in WTA Finals

Two matches were played on Sunday, the opening day of the 2026 WTA Finals.

In the first match, Linda Nosková defeated Marta Kostyuk in straight sets to win her tournament debut. Kostyuk replaced world No. 1 and defending champion Elena Rybakina, who withdrew with a viral illness.

The second match was an All-American showdown between Coco Gauff and Jessica Pegula. The two-time Grand Slam champion defeated Pegula in a hard-fought match, 6-4, 6-7 (5), 6-2. The battle between the two American stars lasted two hours and 39 minutes.

Gauff broke Pegula after holding her own serve in the ninth game of the opening set. In the second set, Pegula took a commanding 5-1 lead before Gauff fought back to win five consecutive games and earn a match point at 6-5. However, Pegula saved it and went on to win the tiebreak.

Gauff dominated the final set, broke Pegula’s serve in the opening game, and raced to a 3-0 lead. She eventually won the set, 6-2, and earned a 1-0 record in Group 1. The American will face Nosková in her other Group 1 match. Gauff is seeking her second WTA Finals title, after winning it last in 2024.