Linda Noskova’s serve proved decisive as she defeated Coco Gauff 6-3, 6-3 in their WTA Finals match on Tuesday in Turin. Noskova fired nine aces and won 70 per cent of her first-serve points, denying Gauff any effective chance to break. Gauff had only two break-point opportunities, both saved by the 20-year-old Czech.
After the match, Gauff, now 1-1 in the round-robin phase, criticised the WTA Finals format. She called for a change in the rules that determine which players advance to the semi-finals. “The scenarios, I know they make sense, but they’re kinda stupid,” Gauff said on Christian’s Court. “I know it’s like the point thing, all of the sets and all of that. But it’s like I’m just trying to win a match and if I win my match [Thursday] and I still don’t qualify, I’m like, ‘It’s okay, it’s cool.’ I’m looking forward to next year. I can’t say much, but everybody knows that has to change.”
The current WTA Finals format advances the two players with the most match wins after the round-robin stage. If players are tied on match wins, their advancement depends on the number of sets won or lost across their three matches. If sets are also tied, the number of games won or lost is used as the next tiebreaker.
Noskova’s performance in Turin continued her strong season, which included her first Grand Slam title at Wimbledon earlier this year. Her dominance on serve against Gauff maintained her status as one of the frontrunners for the WTA Finals crown.
Gauff, whose serve struggled against Noskova’s aggressive play, faces a must-win match on Thursday to keep her semi-final hopes alive. Despite the loss, she remained composed but clear in her view that the tournament’s complex qualification rules need revision.
Tuesday’s match added drama to the group standings, with Noskova’s confident display raising questions over how the format rewards players. Gauff’s public call for change puts pressure on the WTA to reconsider the system that can see a player winning a final round match yet still miss out on progressing.
As the round-robin stage progresses, the conversation around the WTA Finals format is set to intensify, with players and fans watching closely how the existing rules impact the tournament’s conclusion.
According to Yahoo Sports.