World's Best Professional Women's Tennis Players Competing In Indian Wells

PALM DESERT, CA — The season-ending $10 million WTA Finals began Sunday at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden with Wimbledon singles champion Linda Noskova of the Czech Republic defeating Marta Kostyuk of Ukraine, 6-2, 6-4, and in an all-American faceoff, Coco Guaff repeated her previous 2026 wins over Jessica Pegula.

Kostyuk got her spot in the eight-player singles field when Elena Rybakina, the world's top-ranked player, withdrew Saturday because of a viral illness.

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"I am really sad to inform all my fans and supporters that I unfortunately have to withdraw from the WTA Finals this year," Rybakina said in a statement. "I've had an incredible season but my body is just not physically ready to compete. I'm going to spend some time resting and recovering at home and getting myself ready for the 2027 season. The WTA Finals is a very special tournament and I wish everyone the best of luck this week.

"Can't wait to be back in Indian Wells in March."

Rybakina won the tournament in 2025.

Gauff knew her opponent well.

"When you get to the point where you've played someone so many times, that's where it becomes really more difficult, just because of the fact that you got to capitalize on do things you do well, but also know they're going to change things, vice versa," said Gauff, who has defeated Pegula in both their previous meetings this year, including a 4-6, 6-3, 6-3 victory in a Wimbledon quarterfinal, and a 6-2, 6-4 Cincinnati Open final.

"When you play somebody so many times, it becomes even more mental because you're both trying to figure out how to go away from your own patterns, because they know your patterns."

In doubles competition, the team of Katerina Siniakova of the Czech Republic and American Taylor Townsend lost in a super tie-break to Italians Sara Errani and Jasmine Paolini, 4-6, 6-1, 8-10.

Siniakova and Townsend have won five tournaments this year, including the U.S. Open, French Open, Miami Open and BNP Paribas Open, played at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden.

As of Monday's WTA doubles rankings, Siniakova was first on while Townsend was second, Errani 12th and Paolini 25th.

Errani and Paolini were the 2024 Olympic gold medalists in women's doubles.

The day's final match pitted Spaniard Cristina Bucsa and American Nicole Melichar-Martinez against Australian Ellen Perez and Demi Schuurs of the Netherlands. Melichar-Martinez is ranked eighth, Bucsa 11th, Perez 20th and Schuurs 21st.

Bucsa and Melichar-Martinez took the win, 6-0, 6-4.

Bucsa and Melichar-Martinez reached the U.S. Open quarterfinals. Perez and Schuurs advanced to the quarterfinals of the French Open and Wimbledon.

Both the singles and doubles draws are split into two groups of four, and each player or team playing the other three members of their group once. The top two from each group advance to the semifinals next Saturday, with the winner of each group facing the second-place finisher from the other.

In singles play, players will receive $230,000 for each victory in round-robin play, $820,000 for a semifinal victory and $1.64 million for a victory in the final. An undefeated champion would earn $3.37 million.

In doubles play, teams will receive $50,000 for each victory in round- robin play, $155,000 for a semifinal victory and $330,000 for a victory in the final. An undefeated champion would earn $725,000.

The tournament will conclude next Sunday. Tickets are still available.

In April 2024, Saudi Tennis Federation and WTA made a three-year deal to conduct the event in Riyadh, but the deal drew criticism due to Saudi Arabia's record on LGBT issues and women's rights, and the WTA requested a move of this year's tournament to a new location.

The tournament will be held in Charlotte, North Carolina beginning next year and continuing through at least 2029.