Coco Gauff battled to a three-set victory over Jessica Pegula in a thrilling WTA Finals clash.

Gauff seemed on course for a more routine triumph when she saved three set points as she battled back from 5-1 down to lead 6-5 in the second set.

Yet Pegula rallied, saving match point and forcing a tie-break, meaning Gauff had to wrestle the momentum back in the decider, eventually prevailing 6-4 6-7 (5-7) 6-2 at Indian Wells.

Gauff, who has taken time away from tennis in the lead-up to the season-ending tournament, never looked back once she went 3-0 up in the third set.

"I was having a lot of fun," said two-time major champion Gauff.

"I took a little break. First match in like a month. To play a tournament like this with no preparation is something I've never done in my career.

"I'm just really happy to get through today. It was a tough match. It was two and a half hours and I feel like every point was – I don't know if you guys were holding my breath but me too, so just happy to be through. I'm really proud of myself for this one."

In the other Group One match, reigning Wimbledon champion Linda Noskova defeated fellow WTA Finals debutant Marta Kostyuk 6-2 6-4 in just 86 minutes.

Kostyuk was a late replacement for world number one Elena Rybakina, who withdrew due to injury.

8 - Since 2000, only Serena Williams (29) and Venus Williams (12) have now claimed more WTA Finals wins than Coco Gauff (eight, surpassing Lindsay Davenport) among Americans. Models. #FAGEWTAFinals #TheUltimateStage | @WTA https://t.co/VxzpLgvU2c

— OptaAce (@OptaAce) November 9, 2026

Gauff's staying power comes through

Sunday's win marked the 19th time Gauff has prevailed in a match that has gone the distance in 2026. That is the joint-most on the WTA Tour, coincidentally matching Pegula.

Gauff won this event in 2024, and in total she has now triumphed in eight WTA Finals matches. Only two American players have more WTA Finals match wins in the 21st century – Serena Williams (29) and Venus Williams (12).

This was the fourth meeting between Gauff and Pegula at the WTA Finals. In the history of the event (since 1972), there have only been three instances of players facing each other more often.

Noskova, meanwhile, claimed her 41st Tour-level win of the season, setting her highest career tally in a single calendar year (surpassing 2025, when she recorded 40 wins).

Aged 21 years and 356 days, she is the third-youngest Czech player to claim a victory at the WTA Finals since the event's inception, older only than Helena Sukova and Petra Kvitova.