Aryna Sabalenka eliminates Coco Gauff to reach last four at WTA finals

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (AP) — Top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka earned a third straight group-stage win at the WTA Finals by beating Coco Gauff 7-6 (5), 6-2 on Thursday, eliminating her American opponent from the tournament in the process.

Sabalenka's win means Jessica Pegula advanced to the semifinals from the group along with the Belarusian No. 1. Pegula beat Jasmine Paolini 6-2, 6-3 earlier to take her record to 2-1. Gauff, the defending champion, finished 1-2 while Paolini went 0-3 at the season-ending tournament for the world's top eight players.

Sabalenka will take on Amanda Anisimova in the semifinals on Friday in a rematch of this year's U.S. Open final, while Pegula plays Elena Rybakina.

Gauff was up a break twice in the opening set against Sabalenka and had two break points to take a 5-2 lead. The American then served for the set at 5-4, but Sabalenka broke by chasing down a drop shot and hitting a forehand winner down the line.

“I was already working for the second set, to be honest,” Sabalenka said. “Something clicked and I was able to break and that game gave me a lot of confidence that I still got it in this set.”

Gauff also led 4-2 in the tiebreaker but netted a backhand on the next point and later double-faulted to give Sabalenka two set points. After converting the second with another forehand winner, Sabalenka broke in the opening game of the second set and was in full control from there.

“I had a lot of chances in the first set,” Gauff said. “It was a bit disappointing not to get that one. She stepped her level up and I just couldn’t find it after that. Overall, I think I was playing a high level.”

AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis

Coco Gauff of the United States reacts during the women's singles match against Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus at the WTA tennis finals in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Thursday, Nov. 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Fatima Shbair)

Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus reacts during the women's singles match against Coco Gauff of the United States at the WTA tennis finals in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Thursday, Nov. 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Fatima Shbair)

Coco Gauff of the United States plays a backhand return to Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus during their women's singles match at the WTA tennis finals in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Thursday, Nov. 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Fatima Shbair)

Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus plays a backhand return to Coco Gauff of the United States during their women's singles match at the WTA tennis finals in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Thursday, Nov. 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Fatima Shbair)

Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus, left, greets her opponent Coco Gauff of the United States after winning the women's singles match at the WTA tennis finals in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Thursday, Nov. 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Fatima Shbair)

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — From the moment Curt Cignetti took Indiana's head coaching job, he made it clear this would be a different program.

He refused to tolerate any moral victories or close calls and instead expected to win, to win big and win immediately.

In just 737 days, he turned what had been the Football Bowl Subdivision's losingest program into the nation's No. 1 seed heading into the playoffs, a legitimate championship contender and a Big Ten champion for the first time since 1967.

“I think we were a year late,” he joked as the trophy presentation began following Saturday night's 13-10 win over No. 1 Ohio State.

To the rest of the college football world, Cignetti's incredible turnaround has come so quickly, it's likely to lift the expectations of every program in America.

He took over a team that had endured three consecutive losing seasons since qualifying for a bowl game and brashly dared anyone who thought he couldn't win to Google him. The former Nick Saban assistant delivered quickly, winning a school record 11 games and taking the Hoosiers to their first playoff appearance in Year 1.

The doubters didn't think Cignetti or the Hoosiers could come anywhere near replicating that kind of success this season.

But they've been ever better in 2025. At 13-0, the Hoosiers are the last unbeaten team in major college football. They could even be facing his former school, Sun Belt Conference champion James Madison (12-1) in the quarterfinals.

By beating the Buckeyes (12-1) in Indianapolis, they ended the nation's longest active winning streak at 16. When they beat then No. 3 Oregon (11-1) in October, they ended the nation's longest active regular season winning streak and the nation's longest active home winning streak.

In between they shed the label of FBS' losingest program, gladly handing the title to Northwestern. And now they have their first win over Ohio State since 1988, snapping a 30-year losing streak by winning their first conference crown in more than half a century.

Not enough? Cignetti earned his second straight Big Ten Coach of the Year Award this week, Fernando Mendoza became the first Hoosier to be named the Big Ten's top quarterback since 2001, and Mendoza also appears poised to become the first Indiana player to win the Heisman Trophy after adding two more signature moments to his resume.

His perfectly placed 17-yard TD pass to Elijah Sarratt on the sideline gave Indiana a 13-10 lead midway through the third quarter, and he sealed the win with an incredible 33-yard pass to Charlie Becker on third down with about two minutes to go — all after getting hurt on the first play of the game.

“Although I got hit, I never was going to stay down,” Mendoza said. “I’d die for my brothers on that field.”

Naturally, the brash-talking Cignetti went for it, too, and Mendoza made him look like a genius.

“I wasn't going to play not to lose,” Cignetti said.

How good has Indiana been during his two-year tenure?

They are now 24-2, the only losses coming at Ohio State and at Notre Dame last season, the two teams that played in the national championship game. Cignetti and his players have each spoken about what they learned from those experiences and how it helped steel them for the mission they've been on this season, and he's already had his contract extended twice.

Indiana heads into the playoffs with an offense and defense ranked the top five in scoring and that managed to beat Ohio State at its usual game — physically playing keep away, wearing down opponents and holding them out of the end zone.

Now a new journey begins for Cignetti and a school far more renowned for winning national titles in men's basketball, men's soccer and swimming and diving. Football has never come close — until now. And these Hoosiers believe they have what it takes to continue what seemed unthinkable just two years ago.

“It means a lot, we played for each other,” linebacker Isaiah Jones said of winning the championship. “For any of the doubters out there, this was the final nail in the coffin.”

Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here and here (AP News mobile app). AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football

Indiana's Fernando Mendoza celebrates after the Big Ten championship NCAA college football game against Ohio State in Indianapolis, Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025. (AP Photo/AJ Mast)