Jessica Pegula sets up WTA Finals clash with Mirra Andreeva after ‘diva-gate’
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Jessica Pegula saved a match point en route to a gritty win over Linda Noskova to advance to the WTA Finals last four, where she will face Mirra Andreeva in the fallout of “diva-gate”.
Pegula’s triumph sent fellow American Coco Gauff packing from the season-ending championships.
Pegula notched a career-high 16 aces while Wimbledon champion Noskova fell to a career-high 15 double faults in a see-saw battle that spanned two hours and 45 minutes, with the American winning 7-6(2) 4-6 7-5 at Indian Wells.
“I’ve learned that sometimes the serve feels good and sometimes it doesn’t, and how to manage the days when it doesn’t and to ride it when you are serving well,” Pegula told reporters.
“I don’t think I served that well in my first couple matches and I served great today. Sometimes there’s no rhyme or reason.”
In the end, Noskova, Gauff and Pegula all finished 2-1 in the group while alternate Marta Kostyuk went 0-3. Noskova went 5-2 in sets to win the group, followed by Pegula at 5-3 and Gauff at 4-3.
The win sets up a first meeting between Pegula and Russian teenager Andreeva in the semi-finals on Saturday.
“It’s the match people wanted, well now you are going to get it,” said Pegula.
She had earlier called Andreeva “a diva” who “needs to be humbled”, but didn’t realise that her remarks were being livestreamed during a practice session before the tournament.
In the same comments Pegula also praised the World No 3, and she apologised afterward to those involved.
“She’s fast, she has a great serve, she’s strong, she hits the ball pretty hard and she’s smart,” Pegula said on Thursday. “I’m going to do my best.”
Earlier, Gauff rallied to beat Kostyuk 6-4 7-5 on a sun-soaked Stadium Two, though it was not enough to save her place in the tournament.
After sealing the first set with a stab volley that sent fans leaping to their feet under sunny California desert skies, Gauff rallied from 1-5 down in the second, winning six games in a row.
“I was fully prepared to play a third set there,” said Gauff, who needed treatment on her back during the second set.
“It’s the last tournament of the season so I just wanted to finish it on a high note and give myself the best chance to play the `semifinals. Either way, I didn’t want to be sad walking off the court.”
Kostyuk, who won the Madrid title and reached the French Open semi-finals, was already eliminated coming into her match against Gauff having lost to Noskova and Pegula.
Kostyuk, who joined the eight-player tournament as an alternate after World No 1 Elena Rybakina withdrew due to illness, failed to win a set in her three matches as she struggled with a wrist injury.
