American tennis star Jessica Pegula has kept herself in contention at the WTA Finals with a crucial victory over Marta Kostyuk. After suffering a defeat to Coco Gauff in her opening match in Group 1, Pegula recovered to beat Kostyuk in straight sets with a 6-2, 7-5 scoreline.
Tactical Shifts Against Kostyuk
The result keeps Pegula’s chances of reaching the knockout stages alive, while bringing an end to Kostyuk’s tournament hopes. Kostyuk is competing at the WTA Finals as an alternate following the withdrawal of Elena Rybakina.
Speaking to Tennis Channel in Indian Wells, Pegula explained the adjustments she made to overcome her Ukrainian opponent, who had defeated her earlier in the year in Brisbane and Madrid. Pegula noted that Kostyuk had turned their previous matches around and proved to be a difficult opponent.
“I think I was a little bit more patient with her today,” Pegula said. “My game is hard. I like to take it early and take it quickly off the baseline, but sometimes I do need to give myself a bit more time against girls that get really good when the pace is just coming at them at the same rhythm and the same time.”
Pegula added that because top players excel as ball strikers when given a steady rhythm, she needed to alter her approach. She focused on varying the pace of her shots and changing speeds on her serve by utilizing kicks, slices, and flat deliveries rather than relying on consistency.
“It doesn’t mean that it is always going to work but I think it gives me the best chance against her,” Pegula stated, pointing out that Kostyuk is an exceptional athlete and mover who excels at playing with angles and generating power on the stretch. Pegula admitted her strategy resulted in what she considered more boring tennis in order to restrict Kostyuk’s movement.
Despite her earlier losses to Kostyuk this season, Pegula maintains a 5-3 lead in their overall head-to-head record.
Upcoming Group Stage Matches
Looking ahead to her final group stage match, Pegula will face Linda Noskova, who has already secured a spot in the semifinals. Meanwhile, Kostyuk is set to play Coco Gauff.
Reflecting on her upcoming match against Gauff, Kostyuk expressed excitement despite being eliminated from semifinal contention. She recalled their previous encounter by saying, “Oh she destroyed me in Cincinnati. I had absolutely no chance in that match. Hopefully I’ll get more chances on Thursday and the match will be closer. But yeah it’s going to be a great match. She’s an unbelievable player and I’m excited.”
Gauff holds a 4-2 advantage in their career head-to-head meetings, which includes a 6-2, 6-2 victory in the quarterfinals of the Cincinnati Open, a tournament Gauff ultimately won by defeating Pegula in the final.
