Gauff wins six straight games from 5-1 down to beat Kostyuk and keep WTA Finals hopes alive
Coco Gauff came back from 5-1 down in the second set, after a medical timeout for her back, to beat Marta Kostyuk 6-4, 7-5 at the WTA Finals. She now needs Linda Noskova to beat Jessica Pegula.
Coco Gauff, WTA Finals 2026 | © Charles Baus/CSM/Shutterstock
Coco Gauff beat Marta Kostyuk 6-4, 7-5 in Group 1 of the WTA Finals in Indian Wells on Thursday, winning the last six games of the match after trailing 5-1 in the second set. The American, who took a medical timeout for her back, now needs Linda Noskova to beat Jessica Pegula later on Thursday to reach the semi-finals.
| Rank | Player | Country | W-L | Sets | Games |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Linda Noskova[8] 
|
|
2-0 | 4-0 | 24-12 |
| 2 |
Coco Gauff[4]
|
|
2-1 | 4-3 | 37-34 |
| 3 |
Jessica Pegula[5]
|
|
1-1 | 3-2 | 26-25 |
| 4 |
Marta Kostyuk[9]
|
|
0-3 | 0-6 | 22-38 |
From 5-1 down to six games in a row
Gauff took the first set after moving from 2-1 to 5-2, before Kostyuk won two games in a row to make it 5-4. The American closed it out 6-4.
The second set turned the other way. Kostyuk raced to a 4-0 lead and Gauff, who called the trainer for her back, looked in trouble when she trailed 5-1. But the Ukrainian lost her way completely from there. Gauff won six games in a row to close out the match in 1 hour 40 minutes.
Gauff now leads their head-to-head 5-2. Kostyuk, the alternate who replaced defending champion Elena Rybakina, ends her week without a win and has now lost seven matches in a row.
Gauff needs Noskova to beat Pegula
Noskova has already clinched her semi-final spot. If she beats Pegula, Gauff goes through as group runner-up. If Pegula wins, the American takes the second place. Noskova has won three of their four meetings, including the Berlin final, 6-4, 4-6, 6-3.
Gauff, the 2024 champion, is chasing her third semi-final at the WTA Finals. The semi-finals are on Saturday.
