INDIAN WELLS, Calif. (AP) — Jessica Pegula saved a match point while winning the final three games to beat Linda Noskova 7-6 (2), 4-6, 7-5 in her round-robin group and advance to the semifinals of the WTA Finals on Thursday night.
Noskova had already advanced to the semifinals at the $10 million event in the Southern California desert, which was moved from Saudi Arabia because of the Iran war in the Middle East. She and Pegula went 2-1 in Group 1 play.
Pegula's victory knocked out Coco Gauff, her former doubles partner. Earlier, Gauff rallied to win the final six games and beat Marta Kostyuk 6-4, 7-5 in what turned out to be her final match of the year. Pegula lost to Gauff in three sets in their opening match at the season-ending championships.
Noskova, the Wimbledon champion, led 5-4 and held a match point on Pegula's serve in the third. But Pegula's serve bailed her out. She fired a career-high 16 aces, including one that tied the set, 5-all.
“I feel like no one's really given me credit for that stat,” Pegula said. “I've turned it around this year.”
She broke Noskova in the next game and closed out the match when a net cord fell back on Noskova's side on Pegula's first match point.
Pegula converted just one of seven break points in the 50-minute second set.
Gauff overcame serving issues and visits from a trainer to massage her back during the match. It initially stiffened up in her first match and bothers her on serves and forehands. She received a painkiller.
"I think it's kicking in now,” she said, laughing afterward, “so I feel good.”
Kostyuk raced to a 4-0 lead in in the second set, fighting off four break points to hold in the second game. Twice, Gauff double-faulted away games. She requested a trainer early in the set to work on her as she lay on her side while Kostyuk walked over to sit on the advertising board and chat with her team.
“I was just preparing to play a third (set) at that point,” Gauff said.
Kostyuk led 5-1 before Gauff's comeback began. She fought off three break points and hit a crosscourt forehand winner to trail 5-2.
Kostyuk's wrist began hurting in the first set and a trained tended to it.
“I couldn't really serve anymore,” she said. “I couldn't even hit the ball properly anymore, so I started to miss a lot. I was like, ‘I have to finish this match because it’s just not fair, like for everyone, if I would just stop here right now.'"
Gauff broke twice to tie the set at 5-5. Gauff held for a 6-5 lead and won the match on Kostyuk's netted forehand.
“One game turned into another and I think she got a little bit frustrated too, so that kind of helped me," Gauff said. "Once it was 5-all, I felt momentum was on my side and I just needed to keep my foot on the gas.”
Gauff led 5-2 in the first set before Kostyuk broke to close to 5-4. Gauff broke back in the next game with a gutsy crosscourt backhand volley winner to take the set.
Kostyuk got into the Finals as the first alternate after top-ranked Elena Rybakina withdrew because of a viral illness. The 24-year-old Ukrainian went 0-3 in Group 1 play.
See AP’s full tennis coverage here
FILE - Marta Kostyuk, of Ukraine, returns the ball to Linda Noskova, of the Czech Republic, during the fourth round of the U.S. Open tennis championships Sunday, Sept. 6, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig,File)
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)
The bar has been raised. Rosalía opened the 27th annual Latin Grammy Awards, live from Sin City, with an explosive medley of her “Lux” tracks “La Rumba Del Perdón," “La Perla” and “Dios Es Un Stalker," joined by angelic dancers ornamented with halos atop a stage meant to look like heavenly clouds.
It was a reminder of the expansiveness of her album: an offbeat, full-hearted embrace of her classical training through huge orchestral movements, inspired by the lives of female saints. Clearly, competition for the remainder of the night will be stiff.
The first award of the night was given out shortly thereafter: Pablo Alboran and Backstreet Boys' Howie D presented Juanes with best pop/rock album for “Juanesteban.”
The award show is taking place live from Las Vegas’ MGM Grand Garden Arena. It's being aired live on Univision, UniMás, Galavisión and ViX and hosted by actor, producer and musician Roselyn Sánchez.
Producer Edgar Barrera — no stranger to leading the Latin Grammy nominations — is again in the top spot with 10 nods this year, including record, producer and songwriter of the year plus two each for song and album of the year. Many of the nominations involve his collaboration with Karol G and Carín León.
Speaking of Karol G: She ties Rosalía, Jorge Drexler and hip-hop duo Ca7riel & Paco Amoroso for the second-most nominations. They have seven each.
Silvana Estrada and Mon Laferte follow with six apiece, including record, album and song of the year.
And during the pre-televised event, Bobby Pulido won the Latin Grammy for best Tejano album for his release “Bobby Pulido & Friends: Una Tuya y Una Mía (Vol. 2/En Vivo)" — just days after making history in the U.S. midterm elections by securing a seat in the House of Representatives for the Democrats by flipping Texas' District 15.
“I want to tell you that I’m retiring from music, and I’m leaving with so much gratitude,” he said in his acceptance speech.
The Latin Grammys have introduced changes this year to the best new artist category. Now, they've limited participation to artists with fewer than three albums or 25 singles released. The 11 contenders in 2026 are Delilah, FABIAN, Loulu Gilberto, Arath Herce, Macario Martínez, maye, Sofia Monroy, Kendall Peña, Dora Sanches, ARIA VEGA and Zeca Veloso.
Performers at this year's bash include Karol G, Anitta, Banda Los Recoditos, Jorge Drexler, Silvana Estrada, Kany García, Juanes, Carín León, Mon Laferte, Vivir Quintana, Rawayana, Rosalía, Elena Rose, Xavi, Cristian Castro, Camila Fernández, Feid, Luis Figueroa, Fonseca, Grupo Frontera, Milo J, Niña Pastori, Reik, Sofía Reyes, Yami Safdie, The Warning, Baby Ranks, Bad Gyal, Bizarrap, Miguel Colón, Divino, DJ Premier, Diljit Dosanjh, Grupo Niche, Jay Wheeler, Lil Supa, Luis Enrique, Nathy Peluso and Ángel “Cucco” Peña.
Daddy Yankee, the 2026 Latin Grammy Awards' Person of the Year, will also perform. He is the first Latin urbano artist to receive the honor.
Past honorees include Raphael, the 2025 Person of the Year, Carlos Vives, the 2024 Person of the Year, as well as Juanes, Laura Pausini, Marco Antonio Solís, Rubén Blades and more.
Rosalía arrives at the Latin Grammy Awards on Thursday, Nov. 12, 2026, at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)
Camila Cabello arrives at the Latin Grammy Awards on Thursday, Nov. 12, 2026, at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)
Anitta arrives at the Latin Grammy Awards on Thursday, Nov. 12, 2026, at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)
Daddy Yankee arrives at the Latin Grammy Awards on Thursday, Nov. 12, 2026, at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)
Rosalía performs during the Latin Grammy Awards on Thursday, Nov. 12, 2026, at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)
FILE - Edgar Barrera, winner of the awards for best tropical song and song of the year for "Si Antes Te Hubiera Conocido," and award for songwriter of the year, poses in the press room during the 2025 Latin Grammys in Las Vegas on Nov. 13, 2025. (AP Photo/John Locher, File)
