Pegula keeps WTA Finals semi-final hopes alive with straight-sets win over Kostyuk

American rebounds from opening defeat to Coco GauffPegula beats Kostyuk 6-2, 7-5 to stay in contentionUkrainian eliminated after entering as late replacementJessica Pegula reignited her challenge at the season-ending WTA Finals on Tuesday, battling past Ukraine’s Marta Kostyuk in straight sets to stay on course for a semi-final berth.Pegula, beaten by Coco Gauff in her opening group match at Indian Wells on Sunday, overcame a topsy-turvy second set to win 6-2, 7-5. Continue reading…

Jessica Pegula bounced back from her opening defeat to Coco Gauff with a 6-2, 7-5 victory over Marta Kostyuk to keep her WTA Finals hopes alive Jessica Pegula reignited her challenge at the season-ending WTA Finals on Tuesday, battling past Ukraine’s Marta Kostyuk in straight sets to stay on course for a semi-final berth. Pegula, beaten by Coco Gauff in her opening group match at Indian Wells on Sunday, overcame a topsy-turvy second set to win 6-2, 7-5. The win means Pegula can advance to the last four with a victory over Czech eighth seed Linda Noskova in her final group match.

Kostyuk is eliminated following the defeat. “I feel like I’m playing well,” Pegula said. “I felt my match against Coco was a super high-level match and that was a great match today. “It’s so tricky with her because you just don’t know what’s gonna come – she will just step in and inject pace, she’ll come and kamikaze the net, she goes for returns or her serve can get hot. That’s what makes it difficult to play her.” The 32-year-old American had