Wimbledon champion Linda Noskova dismantled Coco Gauff to develop into the primary participant to achieve the final 4 of the WTA Finals.
Czech Noskova performed with managed aggression and served brilliantly to beat the American 6-3 6-3.
World quantity eight Noskova was composed all through and broke Gauff’s serve 4 instances within the first set alone.
She despatched highly effective winners to all corners to outmuscle her opponent, who is without doubt one of the finest movers on the WTA Tour, and dedicated just one unforced error in a dominant second set.
The 21-year-old fittingly sealed victory with an ace to safe a spot within the semi-finals on her event debut.
“Thanks guys for the cheers I am getting now – however it was just a little weaker within the match, guys, I am not going to lie,” Noskova joked to the California crowd afterwards.
“I really feel like I stayed within the match by way of each second, from starting to finish.”
It’s a sixth top-10 victory of the season for Noskova, who received her maiden Grand Slam at Wimbledon in July.
Gauff, who received a thriller in opposition to compatriot Jessica Pegula on Sunday, had a poor day on serve.
She hit the identical quantity of aces and double faults – eight apiece – and received solely six of 24 factors behind her second serve.
Fourth-ranked Gauff can nonetheless qualify for the final 4, as can Pegula.
Earlier in group one, Pegula claimed her first win since September to eradicate alternate Marta Kostyuk.
American Pegula received 6-2 7-5 in a scrappy match that noticed seven breaks of serve.
Ukraine’s Kostyuk, who has been coping with a wrist harm since August, solely came upon she could be enjoying on Saturday after world primary Elena Rybakina withdrew.
She misplaced her opener to Noskova on Sunday and struggled for rhythm and consistency in a low-quality match in opposition to Pegula.
Pegula made solely 5 unforced errors to Kostyuk’s 17 as she took the primary set, and the house favorite shortly went up a break within the second.
Nevertheless, 4 breaks of serve then ensued, with Pegula ultimately sealing the decisive break at 5-5 earlier than serving out victory.
Elsewhere, Britain’s Toby Samuel fell 6-1 6-4 to world quantity 25 Lorenzo Musetti within the Basel Open second spherical.
