Coco Gauff opened her 2026 WTA Finals campaign with a gritty three-set round-robin win over fellow US star Jessica Pegula in Indian Wells.
The fourth seed and 2024 champion edged Pegula 6-4, 6-7 (5-7), 6-2, shaking off a rocky middle set to take control late.
Coco Gauff Grinds Past Jessica Pegula
Gauff claimed the opener despite facing three break points, then watched her compatriot surge back. Pegula raced ahead 5-1 in the second set and forced a tiebreak, which she won. However, Gauff subsequently flipped the script in the decider, reeling off the first three games and sealing the win on her third match point.
“I’m really proud of myself for this one,” Gauff said, noting she arrived with little prep after last playing in early October.
Pegula, the 2023 runner-up, fell despite a strong season with titles in Dubai and Charleston.
2026 WTA Finals Action Continues at Indian Wells
At 22, Gauff is the youngest player to reach five straight WTA Finals since Martina Hingis in 2000.
Sunday's result extended her edge over Pegula, after ending the 32-year-old's Cincinnati Open run earlier this year. Up next is a clash with Wimbledon champion Linda Noskova, who opened with a 6-2, 6-4 win over Marta Kostyuk — a late replacement for top-ranked Elena Rybakina.
