Aryna Sabalenka's 2026 season came to a disappointing end as she crashed out of the WTA Finals following a three-set defeat to Elina Svitolina.
World No. 2 Sabalenka broke in the opening game, but Svitolina quickly fought back to level the first set. The Ukrainian then saved two break points at 3-3 before winning the next two games to take the set 6-3. Svitolina bounced back in the second set, winning it by the same scoreline after securing the first break. However, the Ukrainian dominated the decider, racing to a 5-1 lead before closing out a 6-3, 3-6, 6-1 victory. She converted six of her eight break points in the match.
Sabalenka struggled to contain her frustration as her semi-final hopes slipped away. She smashed her racquet and crouched at the back of the court after losing a point. The Belarusian had also suffered a 6-4, 6-0 defeat to Mirra Andreeva on Wednesday.
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For Svitolina, the victory ended a losing run against Sabalenka that stretched back to Strasbourg in 2020. The 2018 champion is back in the WTA Finals semi-finals for the first time since 2019, having reached the last four despite losing her opening match. She will now take on Czech world number eight Linda Noskova for a place in the final.
"It was an extremely tough match, especially mentally. I was just trying to play one point at a time," the 32-year-old Svitolina said. "This is the tournament where you bring everything to the table and try to play every game as if it's the last."
Pegula saves match point
Jessica Pegula saved a match point to beat Wimbledon champion Linda Noskova 7-6 (7-2), 4-6, 7-5 and book her place in the WTA Finals semi-finals. The American needed a win to stay in contention after Coco Gauff defeated Marta Kostyuk earlier on Thursday.
Pegula claimed the opening set in a tie-break, but Noskova responded strongly to take the second 6-4 and force a decider. The Czech went a break up in the third set and had a match point on Pegula's serve at 5-4. However, the American held her nerve, saved the match point and turned the contest around to clinch victory.
How they got there 😤Group 1 gave us everything, as Linda Noskova & Jess Pegula battled their way to the semifinals!#FAGEWTAFinals | #TheUltimateStage https://t.co/QriHXjlBp6
— wta (@WTA) November 13, 2026
Pegula fired 16 aces, her highest tally in a WTA Tour match, and produced some crucial returns to keep Noskova on the back foot. "I've learned that sometimes the serve feels good and sometimes it doesn't, and how to manage the days when it doesn't and to ride it when you are serving well," Pegula said. "Sometimes there's no rhyme or reason."
Noskova had already qualified for the semi-finals and will face Elina Svitolina or another qualifier on Saturday. Pegula will meet French Open champion Mirra Andreeva for the first time.
