Noskova beats Gauff 6-3 6-3 in California to reach WTA Finals semi-finals
Wimbledon champion Linda Noskova defeated Coco Gauff 6-3 6-3 in California on 10 November 2026 to become the first player through to the last four at the WTA Finals. The world number eight achieved the semi-final spot on her tournament debut.
Noskova had earlier won the Berlin Open before claiming her maiden Grand Slam at Wimbledon in July, and she enters the WTA Finals as a 21-year-old in strong form. Listed as world number eight in the event coverage, Noskova added this run to a season that includes six top-10 victories.
In the match she combined controlled aggression with strong serving to defeat the American, breaking Gauff’s serve four times in the opening set and closing out the contest 6-3 6-3. Noskova moved her opponent around the court, produced winners to all corners and committed only one unforced error in a dominant second set, finishing the match with an ace.
"Thank you guys for the cheers I'm getting now - but it was a little weaker in the match, guys, I'm not going to lie," Noskova joked to the California crowd afterwards. "I feel like I stayed in the match through every moment, from beginning to end."
Fourth-ranked Gauff, who had beaten compatriot Jessica Pegula in a thriller on Sunday, struggled on serve in this match; she recorded eight aces and eight double faults and won only six of 24 points behind her second serve. Both Gauff and Pegula remain capable of qualifying for the WTA Finals last four.
In group one earlier on the same day, Pegula beat alternate Marta Kostyuk 6-2 7-5 to claim her first win since September and eliminate Kostyuk. The match featured seven breaks of serve; Pegula made five unforced errors to Kostyuk's 17, went up a break early in the second set, then prevailed after four subsequent breaks and a decisive break at 5-5 before serving out the victory.
Kostyuk, who has been dealing with a wrist injury since August, only learned she would be playing on Saturday after world number one Elena Rybakina withdrew, and she had lost her opening match to Noskova on Sunday.
Elsewhere in other tournament news, Britain's Toby Samuel lost 6-1 6-4 to world number 25 Lorenzo Musetti in the Basel Open second round.
Noskova's victory puts her into the WTA Finals semi-finals on her tournament debut; Gauff and Pegula remain in contention to join her in the last four.
