Noskova bests Gauff to reach WTA Finals semis, Americans battle for second spot

INDIAN WELLS, Calif. (AP) — Linda Noskova became the first to qualify for the semifinal round of the 2026 WTA Finals, defeating Coco Gauff 6-3, 6-3 in 1 hour and 15 minutes on Tuesday. “Coco’s a big competitor, so I was ready for everything to come my way today,” said Noskova, the No. 8 seed. “I feel like I held myself through a lot of tough situations.” Noskova, the reigning Wimbledon champion, posted a straight-sets victory to guarantee her advancement out of round-robin play. The remaining Group 1 berth will come down to Gauff or Jessica Pegula, who eliminated Marta Kostyuk from contention on Tuesday. The 21-year-old Noskova is making her WTA Finals debut after winning her first Grand Slam title in July. She followed up her Sunday win over Kostyuk with a strong performance against Gauff, who narrowly defeated Pegula in her first round-robin match.