World number one Aryna Sabalenka unleashed her “beast mode” to edge past Jessica Pegula at the WTA Finals in Riyadh, keeping her hopes of advancing to the semi-finals alive — while Coco Gauff also claimed victory to stay in the running to defend her title.
The US Open champion earned back-to-back wins with a hard-fought 6-4, 2-6, 6-3 triumph over the American fifth seed. Although Sabalenka needed a straight-sets victory to guarantee her progression from the Stefanie Graf Group, she will now face world number three Coco Gauff in a decisive final group match on Thursday, with both players’ semi-final chances on the line.
“Jessica played incredible tennis,” Sabalenka told Sky Sports. “In the second set she raised her level, and when I went a break down in the third, I told myself I had to be more aggressive. I’m sorry, but at the same time I’m happy I found that beast mode inside me — I just went for my shots and played unbelievable.”
Sabalenka’s victory makes her the first world number one since Serena Williams in 2013 to record more than 60 wins in a single season, with 61 so far.
Gauff Bounces Back with Dominant Win
Earlier in the day, Coco Gauff produced a confident performance to defeat Italy’s Jasmine Paolini 6-3, 6-2, keeping her campaign on track after a disappointing opening loss to Pegula.
The French Open champion, who had racked up 17 double faults and 75 unforced errors in that defeat, showed remarkable improvement — cutting her unforced errors by more than half (to 30) and delivering a steadier serving display.
Calm and composed from the baseline, Gauff controlled much of the match, breaking Paolini in the opening game and withstanding three break points to establish a commanding early lead. She went on to dominate the second set with a five-game winning streak to close out the match.
“I’m really happy with how I played today — it was definitely a turnaround from my first match,” Gauff said. “That’s the beauty of this tournament: you always get another chance to prove yourself.”
At just 21, Gauff is now the youngest player since Iga Świątek in 2022 to record 10 wins over top-10 opponents in a single season.
Sabalenka Battles Through Frustration
Sabalenka’s match against Pegula was a rollercoaster. After breaking for a 4-2 lead, she eventually took the first set on her fifth set point. But Pegula, knowing any win would secure her semi-final place, took control in the second, racing to a 3-1 lead and closing it out after Sabalenka’s double fault gifted another break.
In the deciding set, Pegula briefly went ahead, but Sabalenka responded with a fierce four-game run — sealing the win with a blistering forehand.
Her coach Anton Dubrov even left his seat mid-match after Sabalenka became visibly frustrated. “Maybe that helped,” she joked afterwards. “He upset me so much that I pulled something extra out of myself because I was so stressed.”
Doubles: Townsend and Siniakova Reach Semi-Finals
In the doubles competition, Taylor Townsend and Katarina Siniakova, the second seeds, advanced to the semi-finals after beating third seeds Erin Routliffe and Gabriela Dabrowski 6-4, 7-6 (7-3).
Their qualification was later confirmed when Timea Babos and Luisa Stefani defeated the Russian pair Mirra Andreeva and Diana Shnaider 7-5, 2-6, 10-7 — a result that eliminated the latter from the tournament.
The Road Ahead
With £12 million ($15.5 million) in total prize money, the WTA Finals bring together the top eight women’s singles and doubles players in the world.
Elena Rybakina has already become the first to secure a semi-final berth, defeating world number two Iga Świątek in the Serena Williams Group earlier in the week.
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