Jessica Pegula defeats Coco Gauff in WTA Finals opener in Riyadh

Jessica Pegula defeated Coco Gauff 6-3, 6-7 (4), 6-2 in their opening match at the WTA Finals in Riyadh, capitalizing on Gauff's significant serving struggles, including 17 double faults. Despite Gauff's resilience and ability to force a third set, her serve faltered at critical moments, particularly in the second set where she failed to close it out despite holding set point. Pegula maintained a composed, tactical performance, dictating play and taking advantage of Gauff's errors to secure the win. This victory gives Pegula an early edge in the Stefanie Graf group, setting up a key match against world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka, who also won her first match convincingly. Gauff, the defending champion, now faces a must-win situation against Jasmine Paolini to stay in contention for the semifinals. Pegula praised Gauff's competitive nature but noted the challenge of playing such a close friend, emphasizing the mental and execution aspects determining the match outcome.