Wimbledon Champion Noskova Cruises Past Kostyuk in WTA Finals Opener
Czech star secures 6-2, 6-4 win in 86 minutes as Rybakina withdraws due to viral illness
LOS ANGELES: Reigning Wimbledon champion Linda Noskova made an impressive start to her campaign at the season-ending WTA Finals, defeating Ukraine’s Marta Kostyuk 6-2, 6-4 in the opening Group One match on Sunday at Indian Wells.
The 21-year-old Czech needed just 86 minutes to overcome Kostyuk, securing a straight-sets victory in their latest meeting. American stars Coco Gauff and Jessica Pegula were scheduled to face each other later in the group competition.
Noskova’s victory improved her head-to-head record against Kostyuk to 3-1, with all four encounters between the players taking place this year. Both players are making their first appearances at the prestigious season-ending tournament.
Their previous meetings have produced closely contested encounters. Noskova defeated Kostyuk in the fourth round of the US Open and the Wimbledon semi-finals, both in three sets, while the Ukrainian claimed victory in Madrid on her way to winning the clay-court title.
The tournament has also been affected by a major withdrawal, with world number one and defending champion Elena Rybakina pulling out on Saturday because of a viral illness. Kostyuk was brought into the competition as her replacement.
Later in the day’s action, Gauff, champion at the 2023 US Open and 2025 French Open, was set to take on compatriot Pegula. The two Americans have shared 10 career meetings, with five victories apiece. Gauff won their most recent encounters in the Cincinnati final and Wimbledon quarter-finals this year.
The WTA Finals were originally scheduled to take place in Saudi Arabia but were relocated to Indian Wells in July following US military strikes on Iran in February and the subsequent regional conflict.