Jessica Pegula defeats Coco Gauff to reach biggest final of career at WTA Finals in Cancun

Jessica Pegula has reached the biggest final of her career, defeating Coco Gauff in an all-American semifinal at the WTA Finals, 6-2, 6-1.

It was the first all-American semifinal at the WTA Finals in 21 years, since Serena Williams beat Jennifer Capriati, 2-6, 6-4, 6-4, in 2002.

Pegula was in front from the beginning against Gauff, though, jumping out to an early 2-0 lead, and then—after Gauff broke back and tied it up at 2-all—winning the next six games in a row to build a 6-2, 2-0 lead before a brief stop in play due to rain.

Gauff held serve to stop the streak when they resumed, but Pegula then went on another tear, reeling off the last four games to end it.

Pegula thanked the fans afterwards for braving the conditions.

“The weather was crazy,” Pegula said in her on-court interview. “I appreciate everyone coming here to fill up this stadium—these conditions are rough but having you guys cheer for us and show up for us in this crazy weather makes us feel a lot more appreciated.”

Before her run this week, Pegula’s biggest finals came at three WTA 1000 events, winning two of them—in Guadalajara last year and Montreal this year. She finished runner-up at Madrid last year, too.

With her victory over the No. 3-ranked Gauff, Pegula has now won her last seven matches in a row against Top 10 players—she’s actually won her last 11 sets in a row against Top 10 players, too.

PEGULA’S LAST 7 MATCHES VS TOP 10 PLAYERS:
d. No. 7 Gauff in 2023 Montreal QFs, 6-2, 5-7, 7-5
d. No. 1 Swiatek in 2023 Montreal SFs, 6-2, 6-7 (4), 6-4
d. No. 6 Sakkari in 2023 Tokyo SFs, 6-2, 6-3
d. No. 4 Rybakina in 2023 WTA Finals RR, 7-5, 6-2
d. No. 1 Sabalenka in 2023 WTA Finals RR, 6-4, 6-3
d. No. 9 Sakkari in 2023 WTA Finals RR, 6-3, 6-2
d. No. 3 Gauff in 2023 WTA Finals SFs, 6-2, 6-1

Her last loss to a Top 10 player came to a No. 9-ranked Sakkari in the semis of Washington D.C., 6-3, 4-6, 6-2, the week before Montreal.