Sabalenka overpowers Pegula, Gauff eliminates Paolini in WTA Finals

RIYADH :World number one Aryna Sabalenka earned a 6-4 2-6 6-3 win over Jessica Pegula, while defending champion Coco Gauff put on a clinical performance to beat Jasmine Paolini 6-3 6-2 and eliminate the Italian in Riyadh on Tuesday.

Sabalenka, who has won two matches in a row in the round-robin Group Steffi Graf, is on the verge of qualifying for the semi-finals. Gauff and Pegula, who have one win each, also remain in contention for the last four.

"(Pegula) is an incredible player. She always pushed me to the limit... I was thinking, I'm gonna go after my shots, stay aggressive, put all of that speed back on her and hope that I get my chance," said four-time Grand Slam champion Sabalenka.

Sabalenka got the first break with a chip across the court to go 4-2 up, but Pegula soon broke back to make it 5-4. Pegula saved three set points in the next game, but a persistent Sabalenka clinched a decisive break with a powerful forehand from the baseline.

The U.S. Open champion, who had beaten Paolini on Sunday, grew frustrated as she made 13 unforced errors, nearly twice as many as Pegula, as the American got two breaks to build a 5-2 lead before saving two break points to secure the second set.

Sabalenka struggled with double faults as Pegula broke early in the third set. However, the Belarusian responded with returns near the sidelines to get two straight breaks, building a 4-2 lead that proved unassailable for Pegula.

CLINICAL GAUFF ELIMINATES PAOLINI

Two-time Grand Slam winner Gauff, who made 17 double faults when she lost to fellow American Jessica Pegula in her first game in Group Steffi Graf on Sunday, committed only three double faults this time as she dominated the eighth seed earlier in the evening.

The 21-year-old American took