INDIAN WELLS, Calif. (AP) — Linda Noskova became the first to qualify for the semifinal round of the 2026 WTA Finals, defeating Coco Gauff 6-3, 6-3 in 1 hour and 15 minutes on Tuesday.
“Coco’s a big competitor, so I was ready for everything to come my way today,” said Noskova, the No. 8 seed. “I feel like I held myself through a lot of tough situations.”
Noskova, the reigning Wimbledon champion, posted a straight-sets victory to guarantee her advancement out of round-robin play. The remaining Group 1 berth will come down to Gauff or Jessica Pegula, who eliminated Marta Kostyuk from contention on Tuesday.
The 21-year-old Noskova is making her WTA Finals debut after winning her first Grand Slam title in July. She followed up her Sunday win over Kostyuk with a strong performance against Gauff, who narrowly defeated Pegula in her first round-robin match.
The youngest woman to make five consecutive WTA Finals since Martina Hingis (1996-2000), the 22-year-old Gauff fell behind by a double-break in the first set and was unable to keep up with Noskova’s consistent play.
Noskova won five games in a row to earn a set and 3-0 lead and struck her ninth ace on match point.
Pegula, who finished runner-up at the WTA Finals in 2023, kept hopes of a semifinal return alive by defeating Kostyuk after two losses to the Ukrainian this season. Kostyuk was a late alternate to the eight-woman field following World No. 1 Elena Rybakina’s withdrawal due to a viral illness.
Despite having no chance to advance to the semifinals, Kostyuk will play Gauff on Thursday for the opportunity to avoid an 0-3 round-robin record and to earn an additional $230,000 in prize money. The final Group 1 standings will be determined by Thursday’s results.
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FILE - Coco Gauff, of the United States, returns the ball to Elena Rybakina, of Kazakhstan, during the women's singles semifinals of the U.S. Open tennis championships, on Sept. 10, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II, File)
WINNIPEG, Manitoba (AP) — Incidents that were “more than online death threats” cemented Connor Hellebuyck’s decision to ask for a trade from the Winnipeg Jets, he said Tuesday.
Speaking to reporters there for the first time since being dealt to New Jersey on Oct. 23, the goaltender said his family experienced “a few moments that I don’t want to see happen again.” He added he wanted to keep the details of the incidents private.
“There was some moments and some things that happened to my family that, for me, crossed the line and as a husband and a father, I felt made that decision very certain," Hellebuyck said. "I needed to be a good husband and a good father and do what’s best for my family and my career.”
Hellebuyck backstopped the U.S. to men’s hockey gold at the Milan Cortina Olympics in February. In the aftermath, he attended a White House reception honoring the team, drawing criticism in Canada.
Asked if the fallout played a role in the backlash, Hellebuyck said: "I’m sure it did a little bit. I don’t think it matters if it’s fair or not."
“Those are accomplishments that I will never apologize for, and I will never speak negatively about,” the 33-year-old from Michigan said of his Olympic success. “I know the sensitivity about what’s going on between the U.S. and Canada, and I’ve never gotten into politics deep with anyone because I’m a hockey player.”
Hellebuyck said he still has a “strong emotional connection” to Winnipeg, and he doesn’t want what happened to reflect on the city as a whole.
“I grew up here," he said. “I made a lot of connections here. I don’t want anyone to think I don’t love it here.”
Hellebuyck said he was being honest about wanting to play for the Jets for his entire career when he signed a seven-year, $59.5 million contract extension in October 2023. But he said a lot has changed since then, from his family’s comfort in Winnipeg to the team’s competitiveness.
“To the people who feel that I’ve been disloyal, well, there’s also a lot that I was not expecting to happen go on throughout this contract,” he said.
The Devils said Sunday night that Hellebuyck would not play against his former team on Tuesday night, citing a decline in their expected win probability. Hellebuyck has won all five starts he has made since the trade and said he spoke with coach Sheldon Keefe and general manager Sunny Mehta about the situation.
“I’m 14 days into a new team, and they handle their business differently than I’m used to,” Hellebuyck said. “When I went in there and said my piece and said I felt it was my duty to play this game and said ‘I want to play,’ I had a good conversation with (Keefe and Mehta), and I left that conversation understanding where they’re at.”
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New Jersey Devils goaltender Connor Hellebuyck talks to the media after a morning skate in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2026. (John Woods/The Canadian Press via AP)
New Jersey Devils goaltender Connor Hellebuyck takes a break during a morning skate in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2026. (John Woods/The Canadian Press via AP)
New Jersey Devils goaltender Connor Hellebuyck talks to the media after a morning skate in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2026. (John Woods/The Canadian Press via AP)
New Jersey Devils goaltender Connor Hellebuyck looks on during a morning skate in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2026. (John Woods/The Canadian Press via AP)
New Jersey Devils goaltender Connor Hellebuyck talks to the media after a morning skate in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2026. (John Woods/The Canadian Press via AP)
New Jersey Devils goaltender Connor Hellebuyck makes a save during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the Vegas Golden Knights, Friday, Oct. 30, 2026, in Las Vegas. (Steve Marcus/Las Vegas Sun via AP)
