Jessica Pegula survives Linda Noskova, reaches WTA Finals semis

No. 5 seed Jessica Pegula saved a match point and won the final three games to defeat Linda Noskova of the Czech Republic 7-6 (2), 4-6, 7-5 on Thursday, securing a semifinal berth at the WTA Finals in Indian Wells, Calif.

Pegula entered the final Group 1 match knowing a win would send her through regardless of the day’s earlier result.

She needed 2 hours, 45 minutes to get it done against Noskova, who had already clinched a semifinal spot.

Noskova held a match point with Pegula serving at 4-5 in the third set, but the American survived it, held and then broke for a 6-5 lead before serving out the victory. Pegula finished with a career-high 16 aces.

“I needed to survive – I saved a match point, I forgot about that,” Pegula said in her on-court interview.

Linda Noskova beats Gauff to reach WTA Finals semis, Pegula stays in hunt

“I’m so happy to be back in the semis here in the Finals.” Noskova, the eighth seed, committed a career-high 15 double faults but still finished atop Group 1. She, Pegula and Coco Gauff each went 2-1, with the tiebreaker determined by the percentage of sets won.

Noskova went 5-2 in sets, Pegula 5-3 and Gauff 4-3.

Pegula advances to the WTA Finals semifinals for the third time in five appearances and will meet Group 2 winner, Russian Mirra Andreeva, on Saturday.

It will be their first career meeting.

Earlier Thursday, fourth-seeded Gauff did everything she could to stay alive, rallying to defeat Ukrainian alternate Marta Kostyuk 6-4, 7-5.

Gauff appeared headed for a third set when Kostyuk raced ahead 5-1 in the second. Instead, the American saved three set points and swept the final six games. Gauff overcame nine double faults and required treatment during the set.

“I’m not going to lie, (my) head was already in that third set,” Gauff said.

“Then once it got to 5-4, I was like, ‘OK, I can win this set.’ I got a little bit lucky. She gave me a few errors. I’m glad I was able to close that out.”

Gauff needed Noskova to beat Pegula to advance, but Pegula’s victory eliminated her hours after she completed her own win.

Kostyuk, who entered the field after World No. 1 Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan withdrew with a viral illness, finished 0-3 without winning a set.

Noskova will face the Group 2 runner-up on Saturday in the other semifinal.

Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus and Elina Svitolina of Ukraine will meet Friday to determine that spot.