By Boluwatife Ajayi
American tennis star, Coco Gauff, began her 2026 WTA Finals campaign with a hard-fought victory over compatriot Jessica Pegula in their opening Group 1 match on Sunday, November 8.
The fourth-seeded Gauff defeated Pegula 6-4, 6-7 (5), 6-2 in a contest lasting two hours and 39 minutes at Indian Wells.
Gauff took the opening set but was pushed into a decider after Pegula recovered from a 5-1 deficit in the second set to win the tiebreak.
The 22-year-old responded strongly, breaking Pegula’s serve early in the deciding set to establish a 3-0 lead before eventually sealing the victory.
Speaking after the match, Gauff said she enjoyed the contest and praised her ability to remain aggressive despite missing a match point in the second set.
The victory improved Gauff’s career record against Pegula to 6-5 and extended her winning streak against her compatriot to three matches.
Gauff, who won the WTA Finals in 2024, will next face Linda Noskova as she continues her pursuit of another title at the season-ending tournament.
