Wimbledon champion Linda Noskova has become the first player to punch her ticket to the WTA Finals semi-finals following a dominant victory over Coco Gauff. The 21-year-old Czech player showcased remarkable composure and controlled aggression, securing a 6-3 6-3 win in her tournament debut.
Noskova, who previously triumphed at the Berlin Open earlier this season, dominated from the outset. She broke Gauff’s serve four times during the opening set and utilized powerful groundstrokes to penetrate her opponent’s defenses. The victory marks her sixth win over a top-10 player this year, further solidifying her breakthrough season since winning her maiden Grand Slam in July.
Reflecting on her performance, Noskova joked about the crowd’s energy after sealing the win with a decisive ace: “Thank you guys for the cheers I’m getting now – but it was a little weaker in the match, guys, I’m not going to lie. I feel like I stayed in the match through every moment, from beginning to end.”
For fourth-ranked Gauff, the day proved challenging. Her serve suffered significantly, resulting in eight double faults compared to eight aces, and she struggled to maintain momentum on her second serve. Despite the loss, Gauff remains in contention to qualify for the next round alongside Jessica Pegula. She hit the same amount of aces and double faults – eight apiece – and won only six of 24 points behind her second serve.
In the earlier match of group one, American Jessica Pegula eliminated alternate Marta Kostyuk with a 6-2 7-5 victory, marking her first win since September. The match was characterized by inconsistent play, featuring seven service breaks. Pegula maintained better control, committing only five unforced errors compared to Kostyuk’s 17.
Kostyuk, who entered the tournament as a replacement for world number one Elena Rybakina, appeared hindered by a wrist injury that has persisted since August. Having lost her opening match against Noskova, she struggled to find rhythm against the American throughout the encounter. Pegula eventually secured the decisive break at 5-5 in the second set to close out the match.
Outside of the WTA Finals, British player Toby Samuel saw his campaign end in the Basel Open second round after a 6-1 6-4 loss to world number 25 Lorenzo Musetti.
