Sabalenka Wins, Gauff Beats Paolini as WTA Semis Race Heats Up

Aryna Sabalenka is close to reaching the semi-finals of the WTA Finals after winning her second consecutive match in Group Steffi Graf. The four-time Grand Slam champion showed strong, aggressive play to stay in contention.

Sabalenka faced Jessica Pegula, who also remains in the race for a semi-final spot with one win. After the match, Sabalenka said, “Pegula is an incredible player. She pushed me to the limit. I stayed aggressive and looked for my chances.”

In the first set, Sabalenka broke Pegula’s serve to go 4-2 up. Pegula broke back to make it 5-4 and saved three set points, but Sabalenka secured the set with a strong forehand break.

The second set saw Pegula take advantage of Sabalenka’s 13 unforced errors. She earned two breaks to lead 5-2 and saved two break points to win the set, forcing a deciding third set.

In the final set, Sabalenka struggled with double faults, giving Pegula an early break. However, she fought back with precise returns near the sidelines, earning two straight breaks to lead 4-2 and eventually winning the match.

Coco Gauff Eliminates Paolini

Coco Gauff showed excellent form to defeat Italian qualifier Jasmine Paolini. After committing 17 double faults in her previous match against Pegula, Gauff reduced it to just three in this match.

Gauff quickly took a 3-0 lead in the first set. Paolini held her first game after a long rally, but Gauff’s cross-court shots helped her win the set 6-3.

In the second set, Gauff’s strategy of making Paolini run across the court worked well. She earned back-to-back breaks to go 5-2 and sealed the match with a powerful serve. Paolini was eliminated after two straight losses.

Gauff said, “I knew today’s win was important. Losing would have meant I was out of the tournament.”